Blood of My Blood
by SilverMafia
Summary: A lost and confused teenage girl starts her private investigation to find out her true identity after growing up in an orphanage with no recollection of her family. What happens when Kadaj happens to chance on finding her one day and takes her captive? (KadajxOC Kadaj/OC whatever... Not that good at summaries)
1. Prologue

**A/N: I constantly switch to different point of views during this story, and I have no idea why I do it, so don't ask.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy VII characters mentioned in this story. They all belong rightfully to Square-Enix. The only thing I own here are my OCs.**

**I apologize for any future errors that I might commit. I'm not perfect, and I sometimes unconsciously make errors too. Just read and tell me what you think afterwards. :)**

**Prologue**

The entrance... Life as a Shin-Ra agent's hard. One would think I'm a Turk, but let me get things straight. I'm not like Reno, or Rude or whoever you've come up with. I guess you could say I'm a new breed. Shin-Ra has organized an elite group of people to track down SOLDIER movements. SOLDIERs didn't know about the said project—as what I've been told. I know their missions, what they do, what happened to them. We report them immediately back to our deputy head and info goes straight to President Shin-Ra's office.

I was only twelve when young people like me were first admitted to the training team. I was one of the youngest. The youngest we probably had was a boy the age of eleven. His name's Archer, but he's not important. Some people take years of training, but we only took weeks… Yes, weeks. A few weeks of training, and missions begin. We were teenagers who were orphaned. I was assigned to track down the SOLDIER general, and luckily, I didn't mess up. Promotions were quick and easy, but failures were harsh.

Failures—as what our deputy like to call them—were sent to the REJECT pile. When we were yet initiates, we got admitted to some physical tests, blood tests, random medication. They made us take pills five times a day for two weeks, and we were injected with blue fluid that strangely filled us with energy. But some of us got addicted to them, and sneaked in for more. Once caught, they were also sent to the REJECT pile.

We were told of terrible things; rumors of what happened to our fellow initiates who got sent to REJECT. I listened to them, and somehow got the feeling they were true.

Five years have passed since I joined Shin-Ra, and two years have passed since Shin-Ra's elite warrior troop was sabotaged and Shin-Ra Electric Power Company had blown up. We managed to escape, and are still a part of Shin-Ra. The president now spends most of his time in Healin, and seldom sends us out to investigate on ex-SOLDIER whereabouts. And I was losing trust on Shin-Ra's advices. I did secret and quiet research. They trained me quick but well. I only got clues, pieces and bits of information, but they were enough to start my private investigation.

It always bothered me. What had happened to my fellow initiates long ago? Few of us are left—only five. After the Meteor Incident, and the accident with Shin-Ra, there were more than twenty of us serving the president, but that's changed now. Reports of them being sent out on missions came and went, and no good news came out of any of the reports. All I had were bad news. They were killed, murdered… their missions failed. So far, I'm one of the lucky ones—those whom Shin-Ra hasn't contacted yet, but soon will.

Now though, I live alone. I live in a small apartment. It was the best I could afford as an assistant barmaid in Seventh Heaven. I work for my boss, Tifa Lockheart, and other times, help with Cloud's deliveries. All the while, I try to keep myself alive, but there were just times I was so absorbed with my own business and my job that I rarely eat. I used to be skinny, but rounds of jogging and healthy diets keep my strength and abilities up.

And even though, Cloud and Tifa are the closest I have to a family, I never told them anything about my past, or my private investigations, or my insecurities as to why I never had any memories about my parents. I'm Deliria Hollow, and I want to know these things.


	2. Chapter 1: Trouble

**A/N: Just so you know, I uploaded thirty-eight chapters today including the prologue, and as to Kadaj's abilities mentioned in my story, they all come from a research I've made on the net with regards to said Remnant's abilities. I can't believe he's so capable.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Trouble**

**Deliria's POV**

I sigh as I make my way to the old Shin-Ra building. I can't help but wince at the destroyed and dilapidated façades of each building. These buildings used to be my home. I spent the last two years of my life here. Sighing, I walk to the broken threshold and step through the shards of glass sticking out of the once doorway.

I pass the ID Scanner that was once attached to the walls, and a couple of the ground floor labs that were barricaded with security codes. Only authorized personnel—the scientists—were permitted entry, and uniformed guards once had the areas in tight security. Well, all of that's in the past now. Today, all that's left are dented metal and wires sticking out of walls where emergency lights and alarms were once attached. I pass by the LV. 10 Training Room with its broken glass doors. There was nothing here but rotting memories.

Metal walls were dented and charred, and rats roamed the deepest crevices. Few active electric wires sparked here and there, but I know they're useless. I keep walking, focused on my destination on purpose. I'm heading towards Rufus Shin-Ra's old office. I know none of the papers and old documents might have survived the whole explosion and fire, but we were trained to use any form of remnant as a clue.

My sneakers make silent squeaking noises as I silently shuffle my way through burnt metal, splinters of glass, and bits of blackened paper. The reason I come here, is because I know information has survived. Shin-Ra once made fire-proof, and water-proof hardware that could withstand enormous grounds of heat and freezing conditions. One of their greatest, and weakest assets yet. I smile to myself and stop abruptly as my feet kick something hard and dimensional.

The room's too dark so I fumble in my backpack for a flashlight. _Found it_. I blink at the strobe of light that shines on the wall. Regaining my bearings, I shine it on the floor and catch a good omen. _Bingo!_

It was one of Shin-Ra's hardware storage devices. Biting my lip and examining it, I can see the metal connector is rusted, but the rest is fine. I shrugged. It wouldn't be too bad to give it a try. A piece of evidence was better than a surreal amount of surviving papers that were filled with rejected gibberish. I clutch the hardware device once and stuff it in my backpack. I switch the light off to preserve a bit of power. It's a waste, since I can see perfectly well.

Silently and fearlessly, I make my way to the back of Shin-Ra's one of many buildings, and come by the forgotten storage. This part of the floor levels were always barred and locked down, but now, all that was left were shelves and rows upon rows of Pyrex made materials that survived the impact. There were bits of dried up specimens on covered beakers. Test tubes had cracks all over them.

I know I can't possibly waste my time here, and so, I straighten my brown leather jacket, and quietly tighten the braid of brown hair I had. Next to the storage room was Shin-Ra's office. I walk the empty space of burnt metal, and come upon a problem. Miraculously, this hi-tech door seemed to have withstood the challenges of fire and nuclear explosions. Shin-Ra must be so desperate to keep whatever's hidden inside. I sigh, and my eyes train their line of vision towards the waiting security-coded keypad. I wonder if it's still working.

Reaching out with numb fingers, I dial the once used code in my training room. The wires sparked and a single blue line ran along its mini screen indicating that the code was wrong. Normally—and if the place was in good condition—a robotic female voice would've rung out in a hidden speaker, but this place was abandoned for two years. It's a good omen, and it's a miracle that such an electronic device had even survived.

I sigh and start racking my brain for answers, and occasionally curse under my breath for every wrong code. I think back to early advices and training mantras: _"In a situation where you can't seem to decode a locked door, open your mind and see things—a way to move in. Use whatever thing you have. Gadgets we provide aren't always useful."_

Well, what _do_ I have? I dig in my pack and find a flashlight, a pen and a piece of paper, a skull cap, a 45 caliber gun with two bullets—I'm not expecting trouble, but just in case, and the hard drive I got a hold of earlier. _Well, it's pretty much useless. So what now Deliria?_

I can't give up. There's so much at stake for me. I can't possibly let all my other fellow initiates die without justice—without their deaths being exposed in the open. _What am I thinking? It's just a locked door with the info behind it._I know without a doubt that there has to be way in. In every locked threshold is a secret entrance. Frustrated, I kick the metal wall near the electricity operated door, and it budged with the tiniest _clank_.

A grin makes its way through my lips as I give it another powerful kick, and this time, it was enough to let most of the weak metal sink in. I give another powerful kick, but it won't budge. Stuck. _Damn_. Without thinking, I reach for my gun in my pack. I have only one shot at this. I winced as a bullet made a loud sound once connected with the charred metal. A hole made by my bullet had formed. Somehow, something tells me an idea. I clench both of my index fingers through the hole and wrench it slightly apart. The jagged edges dig into the pads of my fingers, drawing crimson blood. I widened it until two, three, four, and then all of my fingers could come through, and finally my entire hand. I give another tug that tears the flesh from my bloody palms but I don't give up. I'd deal with the cuts later, but now, my own private mission was important. Stamping my foot against the now-sabotaged wall for support, I take my hands out and stick my thick leather boots through, widening the hole. Still, it isn't big enough for me to fit in. Cocking my head to the side, I think.

I need a chunk of anything stable, but narrow and wide enough to wrench this damage apart. I scan the area and come across another jagged chunk of metal. Somehow, this mission won't let me have a carefree, easy, task. It wants me to use my training and work my head for my answers. I take a firm grasp and wince as my cuts widen and began to bleed even more. Biting my lip with pressure, I swing and hit. The hole gets larger. A couple more, and I'm home free.

With patience, and determination, I finally made a hole huge enough for me to fit through. I step inside and take in my new surroundings, forgetting about my bleeding cuts that had the risk of infection written all over it. The office was like I remember it. A desk where Shin-Ra used to sit was now shred to splinters. Bits of wood were everywhere. I remember being told that after the explosion, none of Shin-Ra's rooms had survived. Somehow, this part of the building had. I guess it's a lie.

Closing the distance, I'm careful to leave any traces of myself in the area. Who knows when other Turks would be sent to investigate? I don't touch anything and was careful not to smear blood on the walls with mildew. Reaching in my pocket, I don my leather gloves and ignore the blood smearing on the inside making me feel like my hands were underwater—only they were coated in my own liquid. I sigh as I open a first drawer.

Folders and scattered documents. Normally they would've been arranged. _Maybe someone's been here. Someone's found a way in and rummaged through the papers._Taking the scraps out, I come across a folder with the words COPIES in uppercase letters on the front. Frowning, I slam it on the desk and begin thumbing through several of the papers. Names and dates are everywhere, and at the very bottom of the pile are copies of SOLDIER's data. Related to resumes but much more complex than the usual. Dates and DNA counts are everywhere. Records of their latest missions are marked with dates and weeks. Numbers made me dizzy. There are pictures pasted on the upper right. There are a couple of notes scrawled in chicken-scratch at the bottom of the page. Words like 'genetic copies produced', and 'successful clones' but none makes sense.

But what _really_caught my attention was a page to Cloud Strife. I know Cloud's a part of SOLDIER, but seeing him from two years ago makes me feel weird.

Shaking my head, I know I need other information too. I did much research on SOLDIER and most of the notes scrawled aren't alien to me. I stuff it in my bag, and begin my search for more.

I found a shelf with its bottom wood bases destroyed, but the upper half was perfectly intact. Standing on tiptoes, I reach for the first thick folder my fingers grapple. This one was much thicker than the one I had in my bag. But unlike before, I stuff it into my backpack. I have plenty of time to read those later. For now, I need all the files I could get. I open another drawer with rows upon rows of folder-thick papers. A slight frown creases my forehead as I search for clues. I want to bring everything, but know I might have to come back if I want to clear this area, but who knows what intruder would come in here.

Randomly, I pull out a file with data all over it. There were words like '50% of DNA completed', 'BloodType: Unknown'. They all swim before my eyes. Nothing makes sense. I know I have to come back for each and every single one if I want clean info. I close it for now, and make my way for another drawer. This time, there were compact discs, USBs, micro chips the sizes of fingernails, and some chips that could be installed in a computers Center Processing Unit. I scoop them all and stuff them in a paper bag and place them inside. I had enough.

I prepared to leave when an explosion to my right froze me in seconds. I was caught…

**Kadaj's POV**

The building looms above me like a high rise tower, which knowing how it was built, it probably was. My bad. I dismount my motorbike and made my way inside. Scenes of charred metal and the smell of abandoned material greeted my nostrils. Typical of Shin-Ra to leave such a mess. I smirk at the chunks of metal and splinters of glass that littered the floor.

No matter. I came to this place for an easy purpose. I need as much info as needed, and nothing can come in the way of finding Mother. I sigh and shuffle my way in through gibberish. I come to the place and smirk at the oh so subtle damage on Shin-Ra's wall. Wondering how I intruded that area in the first place? Easy. I disintegrated to black mist to get through the tiniest space. Big deal on mortal's part. But seeing as someone's done the job I was so lazy to handle myself, well, this someone's in for a morbid surprise.

Without my knowledge, a wicked grin spreads across my face and I step through. I send a signal to make my presence known, and it startles her. All the more reason for me to have my fill of fun.

**Deliria's POV**

I gasp and whirl around to face my attacker, but before I could, a cold blade presses to the back of my neck. Breathing slow, hot, and heavy, he spoke with a dangerous purr that sends tremors up my spine.

"What do you think you're doing here?" My bottom lip trembles at the sound of his voice.

"It's none of your business!" I spat but find out all too soon that it's a crucial mistake.

"Wrong answer!"

He snaps, and I can feel his grip tightening around the back of my neck, and ready to crush the air out of me. His sword was drawn, and my weapon—the gun—was safely tucked in my backpack. I wish I could get my hands on them. My fingers freeze against the papers I'm holding. I inhale slowly, but it only causes his grip tighten, the blade of his sword pressing harder into my skin, drawing a bit of blood. _Oh great. More injuries to my wounded palms._ I sigh in frustration.

"I asked what you are doing here. Speak up and answer, girl!" He snapped at me again.

My heart pounds like a caged gorilla in my chest. My sweat was cold and I could sense the perfect determination to kill, and the thirst for blood shed that lingered in the filthy air.

"Who the hell are you?" I tried again. Even though I know I'm grasping courage from my stubbornness.

"If you value your life, you wouldn't speak like this and bend to my will instead. What are you doing in Shin-Ra's abandoned lab?" He speaks like a leader and is used to authority.

"I could be asking you the same thing." I finger the stack of papers I'm holding. Somehow, I could feel his eyes linger from me to the package I had.

"Drop it!" He orders, and I obey. "You're coming with me. Your scuttling in here tells me you know something about Mother and where they're keeping her."

I don't know what he's talking about or what Mother he's speaking of. All I know, is I'm in big trouble, and I can never complete my investigation if this happens. He's abducting me, and I can't fight back now, but I might be able to later on. All I need is distraction, and I'm free, but I know it's not easy. Escape plans are risky and spell DANGER but I have to.

"You're coming with me!" he whispers in my ear, his lips brushed the top of my ear.

And I don't know how but a swift mist of black whirls around me. I see nothing behind me, only air, but I could feel the blade against my neck. The black mist stirs me to the gaping hole I materialized from. When I couldn't see him, he felt solid, human, and compact, but now... nothing but air is gripping me. It somehow feels crazy like I was speaking to the air, but I see nothing. Just a jarring force that was pushing me forward, and dragging me quicker than possible. The black mist swirls around me and ahead of me. It didn't take human form or any other shape; just black murky mist, and a strong grip that gave me bruises, and the feel of the blade on my tender neck.

He drags me all the way to a black beasty motorbike. I gape in confusion and try to get my bearings. I swallow, hard. The mist's grip on me tightened to the point where I can't even escape.

"So what now?!" I try, and yell, but I know it's useless. Whoever, and whatever my abductor is, he's bad news.

"Now," a bone-chilling voice spoke in my ear, "...you're in for a pleasant surprise."

Color swirls before my very eyes, like a thousand blurred Christmas lights zoomed in from the wrong angle. The buildings felt like they were underwater, and a heavy pungent smell surrounds me. The colors faded to black spots as I cough and gasp for much needed oxygen. Manic laughter came from right above me, and then everything had gone...


	3. Chapter 2: Hostage

**Chapter 2: Hostage**

**Kadaj's POV**

Wind whips past me as I ride my bike on my way to our base. Yazoo wouldn't be back yet—I'm sure of that, but Loz'd better be. I sigh at the thought. _Maybe I shouldn't be too hard on him... but Mother needs the best, and I won't settle for mediocre._

A bump on the road and a head lolled off of my shoulder. I shrug once to get my captive back into position. Unconscious, but she's alive. I'll drill for answers later on. Her body lies limp and almost dead. Anyone who picked her up like this might've gotten the notion that she was lifeless—literally. I smirk, but scowl at her heavy pack bumping against the trunk. I checked them earlier, and Gaia, the girl's a weight-lifter. She's got stolen Shin-Ra documents in her pack—probably the one's she salvaged earlier, paper and pencil, a skull cap, and a gun with a single bullet. _Okay, what kind of idiot would bring a weapon that barely contains anything for self-defense? Yazoo would get out a kick out of this!_

I could laugh, but it's hardly necessary. I had no time for fun and games when Reunion was at stake. Tightening my grip on the handlebar, I accelerate all the way. I have no less than an hour back.

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

The front door opened with a _BANG_! The Remnant leader casually stepped inside with the abducted girl in his arms. Cocking his head to the side, he tossed her backpack at the abandoned couch, and slung her recklessly over his right shoulder, her head accidentally bumping on a coffee table. Kadaj smirked. '_Oh, she is so getting her brain damaged_,' he thought. Anyway, he tromped carelessly up the stairs and entered his room.

He sighed and noticed his own room for the first time in weeks. It was decorated sparingly. There was barely any furniture; just an old wooden dresser, and a four-posted bed. There was a door that led to the restroom and a nail sticking out of the cement walls that served as a hanger for his sword. There was a full-body mirror beside the bed, and Kadaj was partly sure, that when this girl awoke, she'd be dying to see herself in a mirror.

Carefully, he laid her down. Normally, he would've just dropped her for good measure, but who knows how much damage he had already caused, and he couldn't risk anything relating to her losing any memory of her past, or what she already knew. Or else, he'd abducted her for nothing. He already had his lead; he won't let her go until she'd spill her cookies out for him to feast on.

Taking a step back, he glanced at her form that was slightly curled up. His eyes narrowed in thought. Taking one of her hands, he tugged at her leather gloves until they came off. The inside was smeared with fresh blood, and from what he could see, her hands were littered with peeled flesh, exposing tissue and was still bleeding profusely. This girl, was suicidal or what? He couldn't help but smirk at the gore covering her left hand. Curiosity driving him forward, he removed her other glove and wasn't the least bit surprised to see the same gory scene that had greeted him earlier.

Dried blood caked most of the area at her palms, and the spaces between her fingers. He'd have to clean her up if he still wanted her alive. No wonder she was deathly pale, and if he wanted answers, he'd have to prioritize her utmost safety for now. And when he was done with her, he could finally give in to his personal blood lust. He licked his lips at the sight, wishing perversely that he was the one slashing the skin at her hands. He bit his lip and disappeared behind the restroom's door.

Moments later, once he got the necessary disinfectants out, he cleaned her wounds and bandaged them up. After the annoyingly subtle procedure, he took both of her wrists, and chained them to one of the bed posts.

vVvVv

Kadaj sat on the couch in the living room. He had left the girl alone in his room; chained and helpless. And currently, he took her backpack and unzipped it and turned it upside down, letting the contents tumble carelessly to the floor. Folders, papers, documents, a medium-sized brown paper bag loaded with various unknowns, and her weapon along with her other stuff and a flashlight clattered in the open. The Remnant smirked at his "work of art". So she _was_ hiding something after all.

She knew something about Mother, and Shin-Ra, and he wasn't letting her get away with it. The papers scattered to the floor, and he took a random sheet between his fingers and began reading whatever nonsense was there. It was data sheet with random s*** and forms of graffiti and chicken scratch. Notes made by the Shin-Ra scientists, probably.

He tossed it to the side, and picked another one off the floor. This one was—big surprise—Sephiroth's SOLDIER information. Kadaj raised an eyebrow as he read over all the dates and names, and barely readable chicken-scratch, and numbers, and the ex-general's missions convened in days and weeks.

The boy suppressed a cackle as he set the info aside and began rifling through all the other copies available. Just his luck to stumble on SOLDIER's information sheets. Most were useless, but he found two that were useful in his search for Mother—Cloud's and Sephiroth's.

Kadaj spent hours waiting for Loz to return, and all the while was distracted in all the papers he was rifling through. Unfortunately, he couldn't find anything useful at all. Most of the files and information he needed should be with Shin-Ra—but not in his rotten, blown-up lab where this girl had found all the surviving documents. He needed the ones that were fresh, and they were records kept to serve their purpose for the present time-being. He needed the recent ones.

But she couldn't have gotten these files for no particular reason. You wouldn't have regular people sneaking around Shin-Ra's skeleton closet in a daily basis. Something was up. She could be working with Big Brother, and it was yet another intriguing discovery to be made. He'd intrude Shin-Ra tomorrow.

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

Waves of color, and black spots, and shadows dancing about. I open my eyes and finally rise to consciousness. Groaning and twisting doesn't make any sense until I figured out my own horrid situation. I am chained to a frickin' bed post. _Ugh. Stupid, stupid, stupid. _I curse myself with those words just before realizing how dumb and irrational I had been. He knocked me out and brought me to his hideout or whatever and kept me prisoner. He plans to use me to drill information on "Mother", "Reunion", stuff I don't have a clue about. And I haven't even seen his face. All I remember is his voice, and the black mist. All I want is to investigate where my fellow initiates could've gone, and why there are only five of us left. What does _that_ have anything to do with some "Mother"? I don't understand, and why does life have to be _so _unfair?!

I rattle my bounds, trying to break free, but it's no use. I was nowhere near the only furniture in the room and I didn't have my bag. I could use my belt buckle to pick the lock, but how could I even do that with my own hands bound? And it's impossible to reach your hips to your mouth. As much as I hate to admit my standing, I'm helpless, and alone, and... hungry? My stomach rumbles... _Yep, I'm hungry._

I stay still, and listen. I hear faint voices, and for the first time since I regained my senses, I dare a look at the windows and notice the stars gleaming in the night sky. It is nighttime, and I am nowhere near my apartment, I am lost with no idea where am I, and not a single clue of who might have abducted me. Would Cloud or Tifa know I was gone or missing when I don't show up for work in the morning? Tough luck.

The voices dissipated and damn myself for not even paying attention to what they might've been saying. _Way to go for your selfishness Ria. _

Minutes passed as I lay still and quiet in the gloom of the room of what was now my prison cell—only more comfortable than the usual ones. _Click._ I jump and search wildly for a means of hiding. He was coming—maybe. I struggle and decide it's useless against my well-thought-of bonds. Instead, I crane my neck to the side as the lights flickered on, and I squint at the sudden brightness.

Blurry at first, but my eyes adjusted quickly, and I was face to face of the identity of what've been my abductor. There was no confirming that he was until I hear his voice. He stands before me in black leather—head to toe, and he has silver hair that halts above his shoulders, and partially covers the right side of his face. He has pale ethereal complexion, and is immensely flawless for a guy. His eyes were a vivid cyan with a ring of acid green and pupils that were vertical slits. He's quite young; around my age maybe. (Really, I expected an old buff man with a grimy face. I'm stereotype I guess.) Sleek and beautiful, his eyes reminded me of something, and his build, and posture, and authoritative air reminds me of someone I seemed to have temporarily forgotten. _Double damn. _

He smirked. _Was I staring at him for _that _long? Oh Gaia, this is embarrassing. _I push away my disgruntled and jumbled thoughts and concentrate on the fact that this guy ruined my mission. (But I could've sworn he looks like a girl in the dark. My bad.) He raises an eyebrow at what must be my reaction.

"What's the matter girl? Did I hit your head too hard that it's practically paralyzed your sharp tongue?"

His voice was a dangerous purr, with a hint of cockiness, and pronouncing the word 'sharp' with a deadly twang and his eyes flickered with manic excitement for a second. And I know that voice. He was my kidnapper. Who else? _He's kind of attractive. STOP THAT!_

I winced as he drew his sword again, and this time I noticed that his weapon had dual blades that gleamed with the electric light. If not scary, it is petrifying.

"Where the hell am I?!" I snap at him.

He frowns briefly. "Why, don't I get a 'thank you' for keeping you from bleeding to your death? You should've seen your own hands." He raises an eyebrow again. "Gory. One of the best sights I've seen," he shrugs.

_Did he just say 'best'?_ A shiver runs down my spine. If not worse, he could be a killer intent on blood shed. I gulped, but something along his words also caught me. _He bandaged my bleeding hands?_

My head seems to be in a jumble. It's a late reaction to find out the feeling of rough bandages pressing against my hands where the jagged metal chunks had tore my flesh to scrapes and probably bleeding tissues.

"What, don't I get an 'I'm sorry' for kidnapping me and threatening me?" I seethe through my teeth, shooting death glares at him, and it annoys me further when he appears unfazed.

_Who does he think he is?!_

"Shut up," he mutters softly. "I could've just killed you, you know."

"You need something from me, don't you?" I speak in a hushed tone, and he smiles manically.

"Feisty, stubborn, but obviously intelligent," he comes closer, and right in my face. I swallow the bile that rises to my throat when his fingers slide under my chin and tilt my head up. "The perfect hostage." He drones with obvious pleasure.

"Keep your hands off of me," I force through gritted teeth.

"Is that fear I smell?" My blood seemed to freeze at his words, and a smirk plays at the corners of his rosy lips. "Good for you, girl."

I didn't get to answer when he stands upright, and releases me. I sit still, knowing it's wise to stay put for now. Otherwise, he'd be quick to kill me or worse, torture me. I rub my wrists and wince at the pain the metal chains affected on me. I glare at him once more.

"Come."

Sheepishly, I follow him downstairs...

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

Deliria—or Ria rather as is her nickname—sat on the couch, as Kadaj paced in front of her. Annoyed, she tapped her foot repeatedly on the floor.

"Stop that!" Kadaj snapped and turned to face her. "Do you have a name girl?" He asked casually.

"Why should I tell _you_?" she scoffed at him and was rewarded with an eye roll from the Remnant.

"Have it your way, girl. I'll call you whatever you want if you don't tell me your name." He grinned wickedly and she shrugged.

"Fine with me."

"Here are the instructions. I ask the questions, you answer, I let you go. Simple as that. But if not, we'll make it the hard way. You're free to choose, girl." Kadaj sat on the edge of the coffee table with his arms folded across his chest.

Ria stayed silent, and so Kadaj had the notion that she latched on to his meaning already.

"What do you know about Mother?"

"I don't know of a 'Mother'. Why, what are you? Some kind of orphan who lost his mommy? Boo-hoo," she drawled and took quiet satisfaction as Kadaj's jaw clenched.

In a flash, rage and unkempt brutality flashed in his serpentine eyes. An evil smile graced the teen's face when the captive shrank back at the burning glare he directed at her. He decided to ignore her insolence for now. He'd give her a chance, and a second time, she'd know the feeling of having blood spurt from her neck. He knew the threat would scare her, and so, decided against it.

"Better yet. What do you know about Cloud Strife?"

At this, she froze, and Kadaj took silent pleasure at her rigid posture.

"C-Cloud Strife?" Ria stuttered, and cursed herself mentally for the slip-up. Whatever happened, she couldn't give him any ideas that she was unnerved. And more importantly, what was Cloud's role in all this?

"Yes. Cloud Strife. What do you know?" At that, Kadaj tossed a sheet of paper at her direction. The SOLDIER's data sheet landed smoothly on her lap, and Ria stared at it blankly for a moment. It was the paper she had stolen. Did he rummage through her stuff?

Cloud was a delivery boy. What did they want with him? If he had asked things about Shin-Ra, she might've gladly given him answers. She had suspicions about Shin-Ra and would do whatever it took to bring their dirty laundry out in the open.

"I'm waiting, girl," Kadaj raised an eyebrow, one hand gripped at the hilt of his sword. He was losing patience, and if she was going to be that useless, he wouldn't hesitate to bring her down with one splice. People loved a quick death.

"Cloud's a delivery boy," was all Ria could say.

"Where does he stay?"

"That's too private already. What do you want with him?" she snapped, determined to protect what little thing she had closest to a family.

At this, Kadaj drew his sword.

"This is an isolated area. No one would be able to hear you scream, and if you _do _die, no one would find your dead body. You don't want to know on how I plan of disposing your shell," he licked his lips sinisterly as he stared her down, and she gasped at the feel of the tip of the cool double blades that touched her chin. "Answer me, or die."

"I'm not telling!" she yelled.

"Wrong answer!" He leaned closer and whispered menacingly in her ear. "I guess... you'll die with the knowledge of _torture_ above your head. Brace yourself, girl. You'll love this. I swear."

Slowly, slowly, he pressed his blade to her neck and drew a solid double line of two inches. Ria whimpered at the warm blood oozing from her neck, filling her with a dizzying smell. Her bottom lip began to tremble. Was this really it then?

"Ready?" Kadaj whispered, a hand gripping the back of her neck, his left hand, relaxed and comfortable against the hilt of his weapon. He was going to have so much fun...


	4. Chapter 3: Deprived

**Chapter 3: Deprived**

"Wait!" Ria screamed despite the raw pain at her neck.

"Is there a catch?" Kadaj taunted; taking obvious delight at her fear for him, pausing despite the death blow.

"I used to be with Shin-Ra. Maybe they have answers about the Mother you're looking for," Ria finished in a rush, her words coming out in wisps of clouds.

She only said them to stall for time and delay. She could've been lying, but no matter. It was enough to get herself away from him in a few days.

**Deliria's POV**

I froze. The blade is still pressed lightly at my neck, his body is close. I can feel his breath beating down on my numb cheeks—from the cold, and from raw fear. I waited as he dreadfully thought of my words, weighing them with the possibilities and negativities, his gains, and losses. I'm getting slightly impatient, anger roiling in my veins, but he pulls back and sheaths his sword once more.

"In that case, help us figure out where Mother is, and I set you free. Prove yourself useless, and you're good as dead," he raises an eyebrow and scrutinizes me.

"What do you mean 'us'?" I ask, ignoring the warm trickling of my own blood that was staining my shirt.

"Me and my brothers of course." He smirks and adds. "Something tells me you're good at sneaking around and stealing important information." He turns his back to me. "Probably as good as I am, but... we'll see."

Without looking, I know he's smirking, and he seems to have forgotten about the damage he's done to me. I bite my lip, and move my finger and traced the thin shallow cuts. Blood smeared onto my bandaged finger. It's not that bad, and I know I'll heal in a matter of days. Besides, he doesn't care.

"Yazoo!"

Just as his voice rings out, a tall person comes in from the direction of where the kitchen might be. He has long silver hair just like his brother's and had the same cyan eyes. Mako eyes. Both of them had Mako eyes. It's a trademark of a SOLDIER. _Could these guys possibly be...? _ I shake my head. _No. Impossible. SOLDIER is gone. Cloud's not a part of it anymore. It doesn't make sense._

The latter comes in and was beside the couch in a flash. He looks like a girl. _What's with him and his brothers with girl facades? _So he was Yazoo. What could my abductor's name be?

"What is it brother?" My eyes widen at the sound of his voice. Velvet soft, with the same dangerous purr as his, but Yazoo's voice had a more feminine quality to it. And as before, I find the second brother attractive.

"We have a new helper," he turned back around to face Yazoo. "Looks to me like she's helping us find Mother now. I'll go check on some stuff. You don't mind looking after her do you?"

Yazoo smirks and I caught him glance at me...

"'Course not brother."

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

Kadaj had gone to the back to check on 'some stuff', Loz was in the kitchen doing Gaia knows what, and Yazoo sat on the carpeted floor, polishing his Velvet Nightmare. Ria stared and stared at the middle brother, and not even bothering to make small talk. Yazoo was as talkative as a rock. Ria, however, had finally learned the art of ignoring her new cuts. It was starting to close off by now anyway.

So, of course, it surprised her when his velvety voice broke the comfortable silence.

"So when did he you find you?"

"Who? Him?" Ria asked, sounding somewhat lost for the moment.

Yazoo looked to her and nodded once in agreement. "Kadaj. When did he find you?"

'_Kadaj. What a... different... name...' _Ria thought.

"In the abandoned Shin-Ra buildings."

She shrugged mentally. There was no point in hiding that now. She _was _going to help them find Mother after all, and get some answers from Shin-Ra which they didn't have—according to Ria's thoughts.

"He says you know something about Mother..." Yazoo stood up.

"I don't. Who is she by the way?" Ria asked cautiously.

"It isn't my place to speak."

"Okay, so what's Reunion?"

Yazoo clenched his jaw. She was getting a tad fit annoying. His fingers tightened on his gun's hilt. Without further hesitation, he cocked it pointed the double barrels under her chin.

"You ask too many questions," he spoke with a regal yet deadly tone.

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," she scoffed sourly, not caring if the weapon was loaded or not. Most people used guns as threats, and ninety-eight percent are the chances of it empty.

"Kadaj won't like it if I lodge a bullet in your head."

"Yeah, right. Like _that _thing's even loaded," she smirked arrogantly at him, and it was all the more reason for Yazoo to be on edge.

The middle brother sighed heavily. It wasn't worth it. He re-holstered his Velvet Nightmare and went to a far corner of the room and picked up some random reading material that had survived from one of Kadaj's raging tantrums. He was keeping an eye on her, yes, but it wouldn't hurt to slack off a bit.

Ria made a move, and stood up.

"Don't even think about it," Yazoo warned with a deadly undertone, the magazine covering his face and only exposing the crown of his head.

"I'm just going to the kitchen for a glass of water. Is that alright, _sir_?" she interjected him mockingly.

Yazoo jerked his head to the doorway that led to the kitchen, but as far as the middle brother knew, Loz was still in there.

**Deliria's POV**

I let myself in the kitchen and spot another burly silver-haired man sitting on one of the chairs in the dining room table. He looks older, and if the three _are_ brothers, he was by far the oldest of them—evidently. He looks up at me with a vacant expression, but with a glint of mischievousness in his Mako cat's eyes. It's still a mystery—as to why they have SOLDIER trademarks when the elite group had been forgotten two years ago since the Meteor Incident.

I can feel his eyes glued to the back of my head, scrutinizing me, questioning me with every motion I make. I spot a cupboard filled with drinking glasses, and I make my way shamelessly to one. I grab a glass, and turn to him, acknowledging his presence voluntarily for the first time since I bantered into the room. He is bent over a certain weapon, examining it.

"It's fine to get a drink right?" He nods. _Hm... Must be shy..._

When I had finally quenched my raging thirst, and sated my hunger for a little while, I turn to him—glass still in hand—and ask a particular question.

"Are you guys, brothers?" Again, he replies with a nod without looking up at me. "And Kadaj is the youngest?" Another nod. "He's a pain in the ass. You should tell it to his face some time."

"Unfortunately though, I think he knows what you think of him already."

A chill vibrates my entire body, but that's probably because of the cold wind coming in from the back door that was open, and a certain pain-in-the-ass was already standing in the doorway, his sword clutched in his left hand.

Shrugging, I keep my demeanor cool nonetheless.

"Yeah. Too bad." I'm kind of a hard-person—everyone says that—who's fickle regarding her own sensitivity towards other people's feelings. And I think I've met my match.

Kadaj comes closer. "Too bad you just had to question a person of authority. Your parents must be irresponsible to even raise you like this."

My parents have always been a sore subject on my part. I'm an orphan, and I long figured that maybe they just didn't care about me. I was taken from the Midgar Orphanage by some of Shin-Ra's personnel. I never trifled, but I'm never the obedient one to start with. That was what my siblings would've been for—if I had any.

I didn't realize I was silent, until a general smirk came on Kadaj's face for the time-being of my silence.

"You're coming with me tomorrow to Shin-Ra's house."

vVvVv

An earlier while back, I asked Kadaj if he had any extra rooms in the house for me to sleep in. And what a pretty answer I got... none.

_**Few hours earlier...**_

"_Kadaj, do you have any extra rooms in this house?"_

"_For what?" He asked, sounding unsurprisingly annoyed at the sound of my voice maybe._

"_For me to sleep in... duh?"_

_He was silent for a moment, it nearly took him forever, and I was ready to flip._

"_We don't have an extra room in this house. You're staying with me tonight." I gasp involuntarily as an evil smile forms on his lips. "And even if we _did _have an extra room, I wouldn't be letting you sleep in there either."_

"_Why not?"_

"_I don't exactly trust you enough to leave you alone..." _

So, I shuffle slowly towards _his _bed, I really didn't want to curl up in, especially with him resting next to me. I shudder. Right now, he's in the restroom, probably taking a shower, and I would've stepped out of the room to wait for him to change. I don't exactly want to see him half-naked. It ticks me off. I don't know why though. I told him about the idea earlier—before he decided to shower—and he threatened me that he'd lock me outside of his room with no place to sleep. He would have Loz adopt me in his room. Let me get this idea straight. I can hear Loz snoring, and there is _no way _am I sleeping in a room where night noises abound. I'm a girl, and they can't exactly blame me for needing a quiet place to rest.

So here I am, curled up in a tight ball with the billowing sheets all over me. They were surprisingly comfy for a guy who loves brutality. Tired as I am, my eyes drift closed as tight blinds would shutter for the night.

**Kadaj's POV**

I love showers. They're one of the many pleasures in this planet I cherish. Too soon that it's over, I wrap a towel around my waist, and sigh heavily as I run my hands through my silver hair that's soaked through.

Grabbing my clothes from the counter, I put on a pair of black sleep pants, and a white shirt. Normally, I would've slept without a shirt on. It's more comfortable, but seeing as I have my captive spending the night in my room—and seeing as she's a female—I don't want to give her any ideas. I know you're thinking how decent of me, but she's not exactly the type I kidnapped to "play" with. She isn't my toy—not yet. For now, she's a tool for my specific task.

I open the door that leads to my room, and catch the girl fast asleep already. She was spread out eagle on my bed—how convenient. Nevertheless, I make my way over and shove her onto her side of the mattress. She grunted and her eyes snapped open with a start. A glare was what met me when her amethyst eyes find me.

"What's your problem?" She might've meant to sound threatening, but seeing as she's partnered her desirable question with an exhausted yawn, I like to think of it as a big joke. I smirk.

"You sleeping on my bed, with your wickedly lengthy and wide body spread out. Maybe you should cut your eating fads," I'm not in the mood to kid around but I do so sourly.

It earns me a frown as she starts examining her own body.

"I'm not fat or overweight at all."

I roll my eyes; too tired for games. There'd be plenty of time for that in the morning. A good night's sleep is what I crave. I shrug myself under the covers with her still staring.

"Shut up, and go to bed." I hear a scowl from her direction and feel another weight settle on the mattress.

"Aren't you worried I might sneak out?"

My back's turned, but I know how pointless her question is.

"Hardly. I locked the door from the outside, and besides, I could always turn myself to mist and get out with much ease. Unlike you."

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

I take it he's been asleep for hours now. It's past midnight, and I'm still awake. My mind refuses to shut down. I've tossed and turned to no avail, and I still couldn't get the pleasures of a good night sleep.

_What am I doing here? Where are my stuff? _He's hid them somewhere, but I have the feeling that every drawer's probably locked. And he actually had the nerve to rub it in my face about how powerless I was in my situation. I roll over and get a good view of his back. The moon shines faintly through the window and forms a shaft of light just like a flashlight would. His silver hair seems to radiate an unearthly glow. But knowing him, he apparently is.

Oddly, I have the unexplainable urge to run my fingers through his hair to get over the thoughts that are debating whether it was as silky as it looks. I sigh and turn my back on him once more. I needed sleep. He mentioned something about me going with him to Shin-Ra's house.

If anything, and if I'm right about Shin-Ra's obvious nature—sneaky, he'd be keeping a laboratory in his house. A smile brightens up my features despite the gloom the room was submerged in. Kadaj is looking for Mother, and I'm in for some research regarding Shin-Ra's past agents and what happened to them once they were in REJECT. Shin-Ra holds the answers to my questions, but who holds the answers to Kadaj's?


	5. Chapter 4: Preparation

**Chapter 4: Preparation**

**Deliria's POV**

Bright shafts of light filter through the glass panes. I blink and stir and wince, noticing how stiff I feel. Flexing my fingers unsteadily, I stretch out too. And Kadaj is gone. He's nowhere in sight. I sigh in momentary relief. It was good to not have my mornings wrecked.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._ I guess I spoke too soon. Well, _he _has a rather subtle way for a wake up call. Instead of the usual _knock knock knock_, he likes the idea of startling sweet old couples. I groan at my own bad luck. Just as I'm about to stand from the edge of the bed, the door _bangs_ open.

"Wake up bed slug! Get moving! We're leaving in three minutes!"

**Normal POV**

At the sound of the early morning command, Ria was instantly alert and ready.

"_What_?!" she yelled in outburst.

"_You_ heard me. Better get ready and smother your cosmetics before somebody gets a whiff of your body odor."

How _dare _he?! Body odor was a touchy subject for most females, and he just crossed the line. That was a blatant insult on her part, and she wasn't letting him off the hook as easily as if he just brushed a compliment.

Grabbing a cup from the dresser she quickly launched it across the room, aimed straight for his big head. Apparently, the door closed at the same time and the cup dropped to the floor after a loud _thud_. Ria was practically seething with rage. He was lucky her hands were bandaged or she might've launched herself at him and choked him to death.

Anyways, she'd better be thinking of a way to escape after their trip to Shin-Ra's. But first, she needed her backpack, and find another place to stay for a while. She could conduct her research some place else except in Midgar's boundaries. Kadaj would just as easily track her down and juice info out of her, and probably end her pathetic life. But as per usual, sneaking into her old boss's house seemed rather appealing to get everything she needed and more.

She needed the hardware she'd found in the abandoned buildings, and the new set of info waiting in Shin-Ra's home-laboratory.

She had stepped into the bathroom while thoughts swirled in her head. The shower was nice and comforting, and a good way to deflect Kadaj's earlier insult.

Minutes later, she was back in his room, with a flimsy towel covering her naked and wet body, and her hands freshly bandaged. Just a little more time, and care, and her wounded flesh would be as good as new. Her brown hair was let-down, and she'd have to pull that up into a high ponytail and then braid it after getting dressed. A smile made its way to her lips as she began wringing her hair free of water, and watched as they formed a puddle at her feet. Sighing, she took her panties and put them on. She had barely finished strapping her bra when the door suddenly opened.

**Kadaj's POV**

"Kadaj, what's taking her so long?" Yazoo asks in a controlled voice while I'm on the verge of losing my head.

"I'm about to find out," I smirk at him and go up the stairs to my waiting room. Whatever the hold up is, I'm not bending to it. She's delaying us, and ready or not, I'll drag her out.

Mind clouded with rage, and certainty, I open the door to my room. Wide open.

"_OH MY GOSH! Ever heard of knocking?!" _she shrieked, and I feel my lips twitch once. I'm trying to hold back a smile or an equally loud laugh.

What's got me so amused you ask? It's her making a run for the towel splayed out on my bed. Everything happens fast, but to put it in perspective, I saw her standing by the mirror when I cracked the door open, and once the doorway's free of obstruction, she shrieked and grabbed her towel.

I smirk. _Too late. _I've already seen her black laced underwear, and it's amusing. I'm not the type to freeze in shock once I see such a "morbid" scene, nor am I the guy who instantly feels embarrassed about the whole situation and slams the door shut again. I simply stare, and give whatever appropriate reaction the situation needs.

"CLOSE THE DOOR AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE YOU PERVERT!" she screams at me and instead of obeying her—as if, I stay rooted to my spot and lean against the door frame with my arms crossed.

I clear my throat and observe her features, and read the expression in her eyes; shock, embarrassment, and anger. This is just too good.

"I gave you three minutes to get ready, and it's not my fault that a snail's faster than _you _are."

She glares at me with her flushed cheeks, and her long eyelashes casting dim shadows on her pale cheekbones. _She could be pretty. _I shrug mentally at the thought. Over reaction isn't even necessary.

She gapes at me in shock. Why couldn't she just ditch the towel and get dressed already? I walk over to the edge of the bed where her clothes were spread out. She backed away from me, inching space between us as much as possible.

"What are you waiting for? Get dressed already!" It was an order and I watch as she glares at me with her flushed cheeks.

"Are you _serious_?! There is _no way_, am I getting dressed in front of you."

"Oh big frickin' deal girl! I saw everything. No point in hiding it now, hm?" I raise an eyebrow at her and I catch her bottom lip starts trembling.

It takes her exactly five seconds, before I hear a growl from her. She rips her towel off and stands before me in nothing but her underwear. I roll my eyes. _Ever so amusing. _I sigh, knowing the show has to end soon. You can't exactly blame me for having these perverse thoughts.

"Fine! Gawk at me like any other pervert out there, see if I care."

My subconscious catches those words, because as conscious as I am, I wasn't paying attention to her words, but to every detail of her exposed body. One of the times where my genetically enhanced eyes come of use.

Her hair cascades over her shoulder like a waterfall, and my eyes get their fill of the view. Expanse of creamy white flawless skin, a slim waist with well proportioned assets, a pure delicate face decorated with features that matched her exposed body.

Snapping out of my trance, I toss her the clothes I know she's wanting. I guess… it's humiliating for a girl to be seen in such a state. _Women and their tantrums_. I sigh heavily, and it only takes her seconds to dress.

"Well, enjoyed the view?" She spat in my direction with sarcasm.

I smirk and cluck my tongue once for emphasis. Okay, I found the scene amusing, but to her credit, she held out well.

"Come. We're wasting time."

I walked ahead and can hear her muttering in the background; curses, and bitter resolves. And really, they're the least of my worries. I'm more on edge about finding Mother.

**Deliria's POV**

Kadaj caught me in my underwear for all I care. It was humiliating, and stupid, and I just wanted to cut his head off right at that moment if I had a weapon. But seeing as I'm not overly a drama queen, I get over it and just pull my clothes on faster than the usual pace.

So now, I'm basically standing in the living room with him and his brothers. Him, Yazoo, and Loz. I followed slowly as they file outside towards their waiting motorbikes. I scowl inwardly right before Kadaj tosses me a familiar backpack—my backpack.

A frown creases my forehead as I reluctantly unzip it, and stare at the contents. The folders are empty, and the papers are crumpled inside which could only mean someone rifled through them, and for some reason, I feel disgusted towards that forwardness.

Kadaj had been messing with my belongings.

I easily look up at him and shoot death glares. It annoys me even more when he displays a smug smirk my way, and mounts his bike, and raises and eyebrow at me. No matter how out of place I already feel, I just follow him and mount the beast; seating myself right behind him.


	6. Chapter 5: Secrets

**Chapter 5: Secrets**

**Deliria's POV**

We arrive at Shin-Ra's lab with a grand entrance in the form of billowing clouds of disgusting gray smoke coming from three of each of the brothers' motorbikes' exhaust pipes. I hack and cough as the smoke interrupts my breathing for the moment. Kadaj cut off his engine and swung off along with Yazoo and Loz. I'm staring at the beige walls of Shin-Ra's house when Kadaj practically shoved me towards Yazoo who roughly catches my arm and starts dragging me by his side.

We come up at the front door quietly—with just the sound of rushing wind. Yazoo, Loz, and I stood behind Kadaj.

"And exactly how sure are you that the house is empty?" I challenge Kadaj with a scowl.

He keeps his back turned to the rest of us, and kicks the front door open. Yazoo smirked, still keeping a hold of my arm which I'm quite sure would bruise later on. Loz has my backpack, and a wolfish grin is on his mouth.

"Because I know it is. Not a single heartbeat can be heard," Kadaj replied vaguely, turning to all of us.

I don't understand the words from his mouth, but I've decided to ignore it gingerly. Nothing good ever comes out of Kadaj. Not from any of his older brothers either. What's important to me is that I'm in Shin-Ra's house, with everything I need in arm's reach—hopefully.

"Split up!"

**Normal POV**

"Split up!" Kadaj yelled.

At the sound of the Remnant leader's voice, the group immediately split up without a word. Yazoo headed to the upstairs room, and Loz casually went to the kitchen with the mindful intent of food. Kadaj narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Loz, and then at Ria. He smirked when he caught her rubbing her wrists, with her backpack slung over her shoulder.

"You!" Kadaj pointed to the brunette. "Search the house."

"What if I escape?" She inquired casually.

"By all means, do try," Kadaj droned with a crafty smile on his lips, "See if you won't be dead in a matter of—let's say—five seconds."

Ria rolled her eyes, truly having no clue of Kadaj's true capabilities. And her slacking off right now was starting to tip the youngest Remnant off of his scales. Crossing the room in a few strides, he yanked her arm and pulled her toward him, eliciting a delicious hiss from the girl.

Kadaj, upon seeing her mortified look, took the opportunity to allow himself the simple pleasure of touching her pale skin with his lips. He lowered his mouth to the flesh just below her earlobe, and slightly sucked at the skin. He growled into her ear.

"You know our deal, don't you?"

**Deliria's POV**

I watch as Kadaj strides toward me in a quick pace. Somehow, I had the feeling of what was about to happen, and icy chills began skittering over my back. He yanked my arm enough for me to hiss. I blink in confusion and mortification at how close his face was to mine. And from here, I can see it all: the insane and wild look in his eyes, the smell of leather and his own scent mixing together, how flawless his ethereal skin is, and how tight his grip is on me. I know full well my arm is going to bruise, but having such a beautiful and otherworldly male staring at me like this, butterflies flutter unsteadily in my stomach.

And just like that, the crazy-angled Christmas lights are back. And this time they are closer than ever before, and all of this makes me dizzy like I lack oxygen, but only have the incapacity of breathing because those soft lips start sucking on the flesh below my earlobe. I swallow the bile that rises to my throat, and suppress a soft moan. As stupid and as naïve as it sounds, his touch is entrancing. But in the midst of the hard plane of chest pressing onto my back, I hear a sudden menacing growl.

"You know our deal, don't you?" He whispers, breaking me from my momentary trance.

_What am I doing? How could I let this psycho take advantage of me like this? _No! It's wrong! It's very wrong!

Gathering every ounce of strength I honed, I grit my teeth and push him harshly away. I watch as he raises an eyebrow at me and smirks.

I'm seething at him and he casually turns his back on me with a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Keep our deal, and we won't be in much trouble," he speaks and starts walking off down the hall to what must be the way to the basement.

I sigh in frustration. I hate to admit it, but he's right. He came here to find Mother—which Shin-Ra probably doesn't have a clue about, while I came here with a definite purpose and sure answer. Kadaj doesn't have any leads, and he is seriously going to murder me after this. I have to leave this place before _they _do, or else I'd end up in a body bag.

Silently, I make my way to where Kadaj had disappeared a while ago. I descend the stairs slowly...

_He saw me in my underwear, and he _kissed _me for _Gaia's sake_! My life just can't get any weirder. Worse, I might've enjoyed the warmth spreading across my back at the intense moment a while ago. It was a definite distraction—to attract me towards him—probably. But what for?_

A command whistle rings somewhat behind the door, and before I could rush over to the door, Yazoo and Loz are ahead of me in a flash. _Dang! How do they get here so fast? And how did they hear that sound!_

I follow them downstairs and step through the open door... It's not what I expected to see.

**Normal POV**

The teens gaped like fishes that saw their fellow fish as big as the titanic—all except the Remnant leader. Kadaj smirked. So Shin-Ra did his dirty work here. Mother was sure to be around here somewhere—her remains probably. But there was something else. Finding the lab had been so easy, and people like Shin-Ra would love a challenge in every aspect they take part in. The lab was obviously one of Shin-Ra's dirtiest tricks yet, so how come wasn't there any sources of protection. Perhaps, the location was too convenient, but it was unlike Shin-Ra to let their guards down—even in hiding the darkest of secrets in extremely remote areas. It was just too odd.

Kadaj sensed traps, but one quick and accurate check assured the silver haired teen that security cameras didn't exist.

"This is Shin-Ra's lab?" Came Yazoo's voice from behind, stepping forward to stand next to Kadaj.

"I guess it is," Kadaj shrugged nonchalantly.

"But it's so easy to find," Loz whined from behind with Ria standing next to him, her arms crossed as she took in everything.

The walls were obviously made of metal, and light bulbs were on the ceilings. The room was partially dim, and what mostly occupied the center of the room were four rectangular tiled tables—exactly how a modern day Chemistry lab in a university would look like. On the far right walls were cupboards upon cupboards of laboratory apparatus, and next to the cupboards was a closet of what might've been a place for the laboratory suits. On the other side of the room was a divider where computers were hopefully located.

"I can see that," Kadaj forced the words through gritted teeth.

Yazoo stood off to the side now, looking rather thoughtful. His eyes were raised to the ceilings in such a way as he would always do mental arithmetic calculations.

"Have you checked the room for booby traps?" the long-haired Remnant inquired.

"Affirmatively none. I expected a code or more security options." Kadaj answered.

Silently, Ria agreed with the brothers. How could Shin-Ra be so careless as to the point of leaving the laboratory part of his house to be easily trespassed. What if it _was _some sort of trap? But that was impossible. Shin-Ra had no ideas about her private research, and Kadaj was barking at the wrong tree. The SOLDIERs didn't exist anymore, and Shin-Ra's top agents were murdered, killed, disappeared during their latest missions. Ria considered herself lucky for being alive and not being contacted yet.

"What do you suggest we do brother?" Yazoo inquired the silent and contemplating Kadaj.

"I say we check out that mini-office over there," Kadaj gestured to the part of the spacious lab with the divider.

But Ria was _way_ ahead of them. She was already making her way there without thinking things through. The brothers stared after her and continued hastily.

vVvVv

The mini office was as bleached clean as the rest of the place was. There were three LCD computers that weren't booted yet, and tall shelves of neatly stacked folders, and recent documents with properly coded labels only Turks and the Shin-Ra scientists understood. Under the computer desks were stacks of white bond papers.

And Kadaj stood in the middle of it all, slightly dazed.

Ria was already at one of the computers; powering up the processing unit for work.

**Deliria's POV**

We got to the office, and I wasted no time in booting up the computers. I sat down on one of the revolving chairs casually. I sigh and dig into my backpack, taking out the paper bag filled with the hardware. I tap my fingers repeatedly on the chestnut brown desks as I wait. By then, Yazoo was next to me.

The computer comes to life and neatly flashes a rectangular dialogue box that has me cussing my tongue out. _Crap, crap, crap. S*** to the highest level of Shin-Ra experiments._

"It needs a password," Loz says from my right.

If the dialogue box surprised or ticked Yazoo off, he doesn't show it.

"Oh, that's genius Loz. Did you figure that out by yourself?" He mocked the eldest sarcastically.

I hold back the chuckle that rises to my mouth. I can't laugh now. So many things are at stake. My safety, my answers, my life, depended on this very situation.

"Shut it you two. What's your problem now?"

I never tear my eyes from the screen, but I instantly feel Kadaj's hands settle onto the back of the revolving chair after hearing his voice ring out of the silence, and he peers over my head, a slight strand of silver hair touched the crown of my head.

"There's a security code," Loz mutters innocently, and this time, I laugh slightly at his feigned innocence—if he _indeed was_ feigning innocence.

"Of course there is. Since when does Shin-Ra ever have computers without security codes?" Kadaj snaps from right above me.

I look to my left and Yazoo leans back against the desk, thinking at random again. Loz plays with something, maybe a paper clip, balancing it in the tips of his fingers. I start thinking too. There has to be a way to access the machine. There are a thousand possible codes I've known since the last two years, but who knows how many times Shin-Ra has changed those codes from the time of its first existence, right before I even became a Shin-Ra agent.

Once again, training mantras being running through my well-stocked head. I'm determined to show these guys I'm not some piece of dumb ass they hauled along for interrogation. I'm leaving them in a few hours; I might as well make myself known, right?

An idea comes to my head. _"Look for possible signs of reminders of a suspected code. They usually have things around to remind them of it."_

Of course! Shin-Ra keeps signs of the possible code. Unlike other security devices, this company's code is a lot more complicated. Others contain just numbers, well, Shin-Ra has various creative usefulness of numbers, letters, and symbols to make any code look undecipherable.

The labels on the folder might help.

_SLAM!_

"I've got it!" Kadaj bellows from his position, and I glare at him subconsciously, and he gladly ignores me.

Yazoo and Loz turn to Kadaj expectantly while I continuously glower at the screen. _Well, Ria, I guess he just beat you to it. But then again, his answers could be wrong._ But knowing Kadaj's head, it was probably well stocked with much broader knowledge.

"What do you propose brother?" Yazoo asks, and I turn to them, still seated like a professional.

Kadaj stays silent, and just takes over my position as he pushes my chair aside, sending me sliding across the limited space and nearly colliding with fragile vases if I didn't stop myself in time.

I hold on one hand hard on the dark brown furnished table, while my other hand clamps down firmly on the arm of my revolving chair. I wince at the stings pricking my hand from my earlier cuts.

"You could've warned me you know?" I glower at him, but he ignores me and I stay in my current position and watch as three silver heads crowded around the computer screen.

vVvVv

It's been ten minutes of silver haired confusion once I finally stand up and stare up at the folders and start testing my theory. Endless numbers and crooked symbols of what might look like ancient writing makes my head whirl. But there are some patterns I manage to remember from my training. I spot a symbol shaped like a number seven, and next to it is a complicated character that I know—and never doubt—as the letter H. It's my favorite. The five consecutive folders next to it were devoid of labels.

_What could the number seven, and the character known as H, possibly mean? _

I look back at the silver haired guys who argued endlessly of what it might be. Shaking my head, I turn my attention back to the labels. I don't know why, and for some reason, I notice a metal silver plated plaque against the cemented walls. Engraved on the plaque is an embossed image of Christmas bells with holly leaves attached to them. It read: 'Set of Bells'.

_Now that's just weird. Who would place a plaque like that on the wall? Plain coincidence? I think not._ Unless... it has something to do with the code.

I'll regret this, but...

"Hey Kadaj? What are a set of bells?"

Kadaj snaps and rises to his full height. His voice is slightly annoyed when he speaks to me. And with a ridiculous imitation of my voice, he says:

"'Hey Kadaj? What are a set of bells?' My ASS! Why are you even _wondering _about sets of bells? You're becoming useless!"

Rage is in his eyes, and somehow begins to cloud his judgment. He's doing poorly out of frustration, and some of it begins to satisfy my sadistic side.

"Chimes," Yazoo replies softly, and a part of me finds it easier to ignore Kadaj's enraged reaction. He looks like he literally is about to kill Yazoo.

For now, I ignore the siblings' bickering. My eyes begin searching the cramped space, and like I predict, a small plaque sits on top of one of the drawers in the room. This time, it read: 'Always know the Distinctive Period of History where you belong.' Without a closer inspection, one might think it's a piece of advice, but to me, it sounded extremely fishy.

"If a set of bells are chimes, what do they mean when they say: 'Always know the distinctive period of history where you belong'?"

I'm confused, when Yazoo suddenly joins my pondering, with Loz continuing to play with a paper clip, and with Kadaj tapping his foot impatiently. In a whiz of motion, Yazoo steps over and squints at the fake golden plaque sitting at the top drawer.

"Notice how the 'Distinctive period of history' is set in title form, like it's..."

My thoughts begin connecting to his: "Being emphasized." I finish.

Yazoo's cat eyes meet mine, and understanding passes between us.

"What's a 'Distinctive period of history'?" Yazoo repeats the question lodged in my brain. The seconds tick away, and an eerie silence overcomes Shin-Ra's lab.

"An era?" The sound of Kadaj's voice snaps us both out of trance. _An era. Of course._

"Chimes. Era. I noticed a number seven among the labels, and a character H I know of. There are also five consecutive folders without labels. It's all peculiar." My voice trails with a bit of electricity.

"What if it's Chime instead of Chimes? Chime and Era," Yazoo interjects sharply, almost harshly but I hardly take notice of it.

"Chimeera?" Kadaj tilts his head in what seems to be confusion. "What's the number seven and the letter H have to do with _that_?"

"How 'bout Chimera?" Loz suggested playfully, and this time, he's the one making sense.

"Chimera. Exactly!" I exclaim enthusiastically. _It's not so bad after all._

I rush to the computer and begin typing the letters hurriedly on the keyboard, and _BINGO_, the computer gives way. I look at Loz approvingly and gave Yazoo a 'thank you' nod. Kadaj walks over to me with a cocky air, but I find it easy to ignore him. I grab my first random hardware and jab it into one of the channels.

"You're not as dumb as I thought you to be. I'm impressed girl," he smirks, and I roll my eyes at him.

"There's more where this came from."


	7. Chapter 6: Interrogation

**Chapter 6: Interrogation**

**Normal POV**

After hours of searching, and gathering data, they still came to none. During Ria's earlier searches, one of the Remnants powered the two other computers up, and Kadaj and his brothers kept searching.

Ria huffed in frustration and put her head in her hands. She had gone through half of the hardwares already, and found nothing but garbage and bits of useless info. She was guessing it was somewhere close to noon, because her stomach was growling. And after the last hardware had been checked out, she was ready to collapse into a starving heap. Kadaj and his brothers on the other hand, looked like robots who never tired of searching.

vVvVv

Ria unpurposefully latched unto the mouse and clicked at a random folder labeled as Recent Docs. She opened Folder 1, and instantly, a copy of Shin-Ra's best agents popped into the screen. Ria was fully awake now, and glanced at her surroundings. Sure enough, the Remnants were nowhere near her line of vision. They left her alone ten minutes ago to look for other things like 'Mother.'

She scanned through the list of names. They all seemed to pop out of the screen at random times, making the teenage brunette's head swim with confusion. Dale Melan, Rain Trimsly, Jamie Crow: where had these names gone? So far, she knew they were dead, possibly murdered, their missions failed. Words like successfully annihilated. Were they sent out on private missions with assassins—possibly Shin-Ra's—trailing their every move? Shin-Ra was susceptible to all these happenings, but could they really do that to their... their... trained agents. These were agents trained to track down SOLDIER, and other Shin-Ra experiments and movements like herself. Could their most trusted Company—who developed their abilities—betray them like this all at once—if not slowly?

It doesn't make sense…

Clashing metal and gunfire boomed out from the outside hall in the lab causing Ria to turn around on instinct. It was her chance to escape. A fight as a distraction. It's perfect, but her answers weren't complete yet. She's barely skimmed the surface, darn it, and she was just going to leave? It's pointless!

Ria ran out to the main hall; into the open where Kadaj and the Shin-Ra personnel were battling it out.

vVvVv

Kadaj smirked with satisfaction at the two men with masks trying to forcibly take him out. Unfortunately for them, it was becoming impossible with every move they made. He was all over the place all at once, and he was beginning to think of turning himself to mist to take them down, but... this was just too fun. He'd play for a while.

Masked Personnel #1 jumped back and shot bullets aimed straight for Kadaj's skull, but even a well-trained human eye can never easily defeat a Remnant of Sephiroth exposed to Mako, and infused with Jenova cells. Kadaj ducked out of bullet's range and swiftly ended the masked personnel's life with a quick stab right through the man's stomach, spraying fresh crimson blood to the clean floor.

Kadaj sighed: "Such a shame. I wonder how many days they had to clean this up," Kadaj shrugged smugly, and turned on his second opponent.

Obviously, his second opponent was better trained than the first. He was able to hold out longer against Kadaj's attacks. He had been stabbed through his arm, rib, and thigh with Souba. The double cuts on his skin ricocheted with pounding pain and searing white hot mess of blood and gore that the young Remnant took delight in—like a real sadist. Few more minutes of fighting and dodging, and more stabs, the second Shin-Ra personnel collapsed of loss of blood. Kadaj sheathed his blood-coated Souba, and watched as Yazoo knocked his final opponent out with a bullet to his head, and Loz, effectively breaking his last opponent's neck and dropped him to the tiled floor like a ragged doll.

Ria watched all of this from the corner, her form as still as a statue. Those three fight with substantial ease. Such speed and skill could only reinstitute from a well-trained individual like SOLDIER. These three looked so young, and closely vulnerable, but seeing Kadaj's lithe body move, Yazoo's delicate form kill effectively and accurately, and Loz's heavy build move with swift speed and deadly precision. Now she knew who these three reminded her of. They reminded her of no other than the SOLDIER she once spied on. These three silver-haired teens are just like Sephiroth. The hair, the fighting style, the attitudes, the use of the left hand... just like Sephiroth.

**Deliria's POV**

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. _How could I not have realized this sooner? Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz are just like Sephiroth. What are they? Shin-Ra had something to do about all of it. Oh great. There is another question to add to the top of my already busted questions list.

My feet are rooted to the floor like they were being held down by cement.

A familiar voice intercepts my line of thoughts. The sounds of wheels being dragged against the tiled floor can be heard. But I stay where I am. _Kadaj and his brothers have similarities to Sephiroth, so what could they be? Shin-Ra's new experiments? For all I know, _they _could be another of Shin-Ra's experiments out to get me._

Somebody growled out of frustration—maybe it was me. And just like that... he appears in a pathetic white button down suit and my blood just boils in recognition. But still, I have to keep calm, and I take a deep breath. I'm here for answers, and I won't let this go to a waste of nothing.

Kadaj and the others have their heads trained in the direction of the footsteps, but I can see no sign of tension, and if there is, it's all probably coming from me. The guys are standing in the near-middle of the lab and Shin-Ra finally makes his grandiose entrance... Okay folks; give it up for the man who made my life miserable... Rufus Shin-Ra featuring his pathetic Turks...

**Normal POV**

Before Ria had time to react or do so much as mutter a single word, the brothers had taken down the two Turks standing guard the current president of Shin-Ra Company. Shin-Ra spoke first...

"Hmph... Kadaj. You and your gang need to explain with regards to your trespassing. Oh, and it's good to see you again Agent Hollow."

At the sound of her given last name, Ria froze on instinct. For all she didn't know, her jaw was gaping open in shock at the thought of meeting up with her previous boss. She was surprised he recognized her—after two years since the Meteor Incident and the blown up Shin-Ra building that was reduced to rubble and broken glass—let alone remembered her name.

Kadaj smirked at the slightest detection of Shin-Ra's obvious discomfort, and he needed to have this talk with the president by himself. Well, there was certainly a fun way of getting the girl and his brothers out for a while. He was going to fill in Yazoo and Loz later. And maybe get rid of the young maiden.

"Where's Mother?" Kadaj questioned hollowly

"Mother?"

"Boy, do I hate liars..." Kadaj reached down and grabbed Reno by his collar.

The redhead grunted at the feel of rough leather gloved hands grabbing him by the back of his blazer and throwing him across the room. Kadaj watched with satisfaction as the inaudible sound of a bone cracking against the base of his skull—his ears picked up. It wasn't serious damage, and the youngest Remnant wasn't the least bit concerned about the Turk's condition.

"My apologies, though this time you'll get the truth," Shin-Ra smirked amidst the tension hanging in the air distressfully; one hand was tucked safely inside his pant's pockets.

Kadaj's gaze never faltered. He kept each of his five senses on everything—including Shin-Ra's heartbeat and breathing. He would be able to smell a lie, and the Remnant had no doubts that Shin-Ra had a weapon that the platinum blonde was hoping to conceal from the silver haired intruder.

Kadaj raised an eyebrow at Shin-Ra's confident statement.

"Hm... Is that right?" Kadaj snarled sinisterly, rounding himself on a slow cat-like walk that filled the whole lab with dark energy.

Shin-Ra was silent with a calm demeanor. Loz had a strong grip on Ria. Yazoo had his gun cocked and ready to fire. Kadaj was grinning manically. Ria didn't dare move as the two brothers waited for Kadaj's orders, and by now, the brunette had realized that Kadaj was the leader of the group. She stood statue-like, with an escape plan now forming in her head. She had to skirt around the Remnants, otherwise, either of them would have her knocked out in no time. She'd deal with Shin-Ra some other time, and for now, her investigation, and her safety were her top priority. She also had to warn Cloud about the ridiculous danger he was in. She wasn't exactly sure if he'd stand a chance against the psychotic triplets—much less their leader. She somehow suspected that Cloud had that strange illness that was spreading fast. If he did so, it'd make him weak.

"I swear it. We know you're seeking her."

At the mere clue of Mother's whereabouts, Kadaj's serpentine pupils focused on the president of the company that had Jenova in their custody like she was a prisoner.

"Get her out of here," Kadaj ordered his two older brothers. He had no need to clarify the edict because the two other Remnants already understood the words of getting the female out of there now.

For some unknown reason, Kadaj didn't want the girl to hear or know anything with concerns of Mother. She'd have to be kept in a wall with barriers. They'd have to keep her blind or she'd swiftly regain sense and demand for control. The lesser she knew about the matter, the easier she would be to manipulate.

Yazoo could just as easily formulate and understand Kadaj's twisted schemes. Sure, Kadaj was the youngest, but his little brother was one smart snake. He knew his way around everything and easily made out lies and other reactions for show to take himself out of a currently dangerous situation. Yazoo never once doubted a Remnant leader's command. Kadaj had proven himself time and again. It was only fair. Yazoo was smart, and was very much similar to Kadaj, but he just wasn't the leading type. He'd rather be second in command. But what did that make Loz?

Yazoo forcibly ushered Ria out of the lab; a stream of silent curses pouring from the brunette's mouth. She was dying to know what Kadaj and her old boss were about to talk about, but knew she would never stand a chance against the two brothers' grip.

Kadaj glanced their way and nodded once at Yazoo, assuring both that he'd fill them in on the talk later—with Ria knocked out or long gone (depending on the matter) of course.

vVvVv

After the talk with Shin-Ra, the group headed back to base in silence. Kadaj had knocked out Shin-Ra senseless for good measure. He sure was sadistic. Meanwhile, Ria had a scowl on her face, and was seething secretly. She had tried to escape, but a bullet from Yazoo's Velvet Nightmare had grazed her leg—preventing her to escape, and she had ended up limping. And right now, she detested having to put up with keeping her arms wrapped around Yazoo's waist for dear life. If it were up to her, she'd let go and let herself tumble on the road with probably more injuries to add to her bandaged hands, bullet-lodged leg, and pounding head. The motorcycle was making her sick.

'_Why Gaia?! Why do I have to be held captive by psychotic guys that look and act like ex-SOLDIER Sephiroth? Why me?!'_


	8. Chapter 7: Revelations

**Chapter 7: Revelations**

**Deliria's POV**

"'_Agent _Hollow'?" Kadaj scrutinizes me with his Mako eyes, imitating the earlier quote Shin-Ra had spat out when he immediately saw me.

I feel like a lab rat. I'm sure you all have an idea of how annoying it is to be stuck in a couch, and to be interrogated by three crazy Sephiroth-look-alikes. The same silver hair, the same otherworldly serpentine eyes, the same intimidating glare, the same sinister air, and the same regal posture. Well, Kadaj annoys me the most. Yazoo… I don't know how I feel about him. He can be moody. Loz is clear to be a silent follower.

I fold my arms across my chest, and sulk. I'm pretty sure I'm like a small child. _What about my quest? I need my answers. And I positively don't have time to play by these games? _It makes me sick. Kadaj and his gang make me sick. They think they can demand anything out of anybody, and that's just pure cocky behavior. Sure, they're quite attractive, but what use are good-looks when all you have is a big head full of nostalgic air? I mean, seriously, _what the heck is going on_?!

I'm angry and I can't help it. My injured leg's been taken care of by some gauze and rubbing alcohol, and _then_ Kadaj interrogates me.

"Why?! What's it to you?" I snap at him, and Kadaj withdraws with a contemplating look on his face.

"You'd better give me answers girl, or I kill you for good."

"Yeah! And then what?! You throw my body somewhere the authorities won't be able to find? Like I care! I won't be leaving anything behind except my apartment."

Too soon I have spoken, and I immediately recognize my point of speaking is a serious mistake. I should've just kept my mouth shut. _Darn it! _

"At least I know I'm devoid of hurting other people you might care about—like I _despair _death!" Kadaj chuckles coldly.

And I know right then and there that he is able to kill in cold blood. Either enforced by substantial need or simply the desire for blood-shed.

"Tell me what you know!" He demands.

I'm about to answer when a feminine voice cuts through the air.

"Stop scaring her Kadaj. You know as well as I do... she won't speak if you keep threatening her."

It takes me a fair amount of time to even regain my senses. Yazoo just defended me. Yazoo has come to my defense. I could be on cloud nine, but seeing as Kadaj's brother has done this, I'm in a no better mood.

"I don't care brother!" Kadaj snaps abruptly.

Yazoo makes me uncomfortable; the way his eyes linger over my form. It feels like he's checking me out. I feel so exposed and stupid all at once. It's like reliving the moment when Kadaj had caught me in my underwear. And that alone made me want to freak out. I can't believe it's just happened this morning. And it's only an hour after noon. Time seems to run slow.

"May I?" Yazoo asks Kadaj as I keep a level-headed stare at him.

Kadaj scowls characteristically and nods once for confirmation. I watch as Yazoo kneels to be at level with me, one finger prestigiously traces the scar on my knee I had acquired earlier. A tingling sensation runs through my body.

He looks up and our eyes meet. It's crazy but there seems to be an instant connection between me and him—just like what happened earlier at the lab. He helped me decipher a code which is pretty much already a big deal on my part.

"Would you take as to consideration of telling us about yourself?" He asks, "It seems Kadaj," Yazoo glances at his younger brother who sits on the edge of the coffee table, "...has forgotten that detail."

Now why should I tell _him_? They kidnapped me and threatened me, and put me here to be interrogated and prodded like some fascinating specie. I growled in my head. I'm getting out of this hell hole soon and fast, but there's no way in Gaia's toilet bowl am I going to submit to such terrible display of control by some leader who leads his two older brothers that seem to have a much better mind that he owns.

Yazoo must have noticed my dazed expression because he flashes me a charming smile that tips me off my concentration on withholding information about myself I so cherish. And my fellow initiates deserve this justice. I won't let anything get in the way of it.

"Okay..." I trail off hesitantly, "But first... Let me ask you a question. It's only fair."

Yazoo contemplates my suggestion, and looks to Kadaj for affirmation. Well, to my delighting surprise, Kadaj nods once.

"Who is this 'Mother' you keep speaking of?" I ask, and Yazoo touches my knee. I flinch at his touch but I let him. After all, he's been nothing but nice to me.

Next to Kadaj, I hear a sob come from the eldest brother. _That's just... childish or sweet?_ Kadaj scoffs at his brother's direction.

"Don't cry Loz," Yazoo teases sarcastically.

"Big baby," Kadaj mumbles, "Mother... let's see," he taps a finger to his chin in mock thoughtfulness, "Well, I can't seem to find the words to describe her," Kadaj shrugs, "But what can I say?" He leans forward so he was barely inches away from my eyes. "You're question's... irrelevant. Hm?"

Those single statements ricochet through me in a range of emotions. All at once, I feel anger, hatred, and insult. I snarl.

"Don't patronize me because I'm not stupid. I _know _Shin-Ra has something to do with this 'Mother' business of yours. And what's this thing that keeps bugging me? What's this thing that screams at me that you're all very much like Sephiroth? Something's going on here, and I have the _right _to know these things!" I shout, not even realizing I'm already on my feet, my hands are clenched into fists at my sides as I glare at them.

"You know Sephiroth?" Loz interjects in a confused voice.

I can never resist rolling my eyes at him. "Well duh? Who doesn't? Who could forget the psycho who burned Nibelheim to the ground? Even children know his name. He caused all kinds of trouble for the planet, and I'm not a big fan of his... sad to say."

**Kadaj's POV**

"Well duh? Who doesn't? Who could forget the psycho who burned Nibelheim to the ground? Even children know his name. He caused all kinds of trouble for the planet, and I'm not a big fan of his... sad to say."

_Sephiroth! She knows Sephiroth! Agent Hollow... Sephiroth... Can it really be? Oh, this is just too good_.

I smirk at her words. Yazoo stands still beside me.

"You're a part of Shin-Ra aren't you? From the way _he _looked at you—like a long lost ship at sea that finally found its way back to its main source." I pause for a while and I watch as her eyes widen. I hit the bull's eyes. Now all that's needed is to dig information from her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replies through gritted teeth and tensed muscles.

And before I get a hold of myself, I erupt in laughter that seems to send chills through her spine. _This is just too fun_.

"Tch. Drop the I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about act. If you say you aren't stupid, well I think you're stupid enough to even lie to me now."

Her glare has death written all over it, and it all the more intrigues my sadistic side. I wonder how it would feel to ram her into the wall right now. Those lips are starting to get inviting, and I might not know how to contain myself. _Yazoo! Help! I can't have myself wanting her or any other desire for that matter._

"Well, at least I'm not stupid enough that I can't even figure out a code."

The last straw.

vVvVv

I'm holding her down the couch, my body hovering over her, a hand already on my hilt. I'm growling at her now, and the fear in her eyes is undeniable. I want a taste; a taste of the sound of her pleading cries for help, a blood-curdling scream exhausting her vocal chords until she can never speak. I want her to feel so much pain, and she cries out.

"Brother you're hurting her," Yazoo has a hand on my shoulder and I throw him off with a warning.

The girl squirms beneath my tight bone-crushing grip. I want her to feel as much pain as possible.

Strong tight arms grab my waist and I feel myself being drawn back. _Loz!_

"Let go of me now!" And my brother does so. He drops me to the floor with a horrible thud.

From the corner of my eye, I catch her breathing and gasping for much needed air I was dying to take from her. I wanted a kill for the day, and I have set my eyes on this girl I have abducted yesterday.

Someone snarled, and I think it's me...

"Okay... I-I'll tell you everything. Just don't kill me, please," she begs with trembling shoulders. A satisfied smirk finds its way to my lips and I get to my feet and resume my previous position.

**Normal POV**

Ria gave in. After having an instant NDE from Kadaj's bare hands, well, let's say she just didn't want that experience to happen again—as hard-headed as she is. She was at the brink of death right then and there and just barely a few hours from the day of her abduction. She had to admit that she was scared—petrified even—to have him looking at her like she was some toy that was unwanted. She knew Kadaj wanted to dispose of her, but she was just too much of a valuable piece in his game. To save her life, and for the most wanted justice she promised her dead initiates, she'd let herself be used for just this one moment.

Ria made up her mind. She would go along Kadaj's desperate plan to find Mother, just so she could keep him from doing so. And a fake alliance with Kadaj meant unlimited access to Shin-Ra. And whoever—or whatever—their Mother was, she had a bad feeling about it—especially if Shin-Ra had something to do with it.

But alliances needed to be built from a trust foundation. She needed to get them to trust her. It might be too late then, but she had to try.

Ria watched as Kadaj was flung to the ground by Loz, and was unaware of the words rolling from her tongue, or the fact that her lips were moving.

"Okay… I-I'll tell you everything. Just don't kill me, please," she begged.

Kadaj seemed satisfied.

"Five years ago, Shin-Ra gathered a group of kids ranging from twelve to nineteen years old. I was one of them. There were a lot of us, known as new Agent recruits. They trained us, experimented on us, observed us like science experiments. We spent days in laboratories. Some of us didn't survive the ability-enhancing operations, and those who were weak and couldn't hold out training and experimentation were sent to the REJECT pile. We endured the training for a few weeks, and we were sent out to track down SOLDIER movements. Every SOLDIER is automatically being followed by an assigned Agent. SOLDIER had no idea about us. The Shin-Ra building's huge, and they keep us in separated buildings. My group was heavily guarded and the scientists made sure we had enough shots for the day. We were meek and innocent. I was twelve when they sent me on my first mission. I was to track down Sephiroth regarding his mission in Banora. Missions were hard because failures are unacceptable. If we fail, we died—at least that's what our suspicions were every time one of us gets sent to the REJECT pile after a failed mission." Ria shrugged.

After the explanation, the group was silent. Yazoo looked like he was calculating again, and Loz seemed to be thinking. Kadaj... well, she couldn't exactly place his reaction.

"So you're a Shin-Ra Agent?" Loz started, and Ria nodded.

"How old were you when Shin-Ra blew up?" Yazoo inquired.

"That's two years ago. I was fifteen," Ria absentmindedly traced a finger across the gauze that covered the bullet.

"Are there any of your group left?" Kadaj inquired calmly.

"Well, there were twenty left after the Meteor Incident and the fall of SOLDIER and Shin-Ra, but recently, there are only five of us left. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Shin-Ra hasn't contacted me to go on a mission yet," Ria sighed, earning a confused sound from Loz. He scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Why is it lucky that Shin-Ra hasn't contacted you yet?" Loz asked; utterly confused as a newborn puppy, and Ria tried her best to strive for much needed patience.

"The fifteen Agents who were sent out never came back. Some were murdered, killed in an accident, others just disappeared from the face of existence," Ria explained.

"Do you have any leads on a suspect?" Yazoo asked.

"Well, I can't exactly report this to the authorities, can I? It's a private gun-for-hire thing. As insane as the possibilities might be, Shin-Ra might be behind this..." Ria trailed off.

"It's not exactly insane as you put it. It makes some sense." Kadaj points out to her. "Fine. I've made my decision. With your training, you're proving useful to us. Help us find Mother, and we'll try to help you figure out who's behind the missing agents. In the meantime... tell me what you know about Cloud Strife," Kadaj exclaimed excitedly with a wicked grin.

And Ria... wasn't looking happy, but she introduced herself anyway.

"Ria, at your service. It's nice to meet you too Kadaj."


	9. Chapter 8: Confused

**Chapter 8: Confused**

**Normal POV**

Staying with the Remnants for two weeks was enough trouble. Ria still slept in Kadaj's room, because according to the obnoxious Remnant leader, she was still a captive, and he wasn't letting her off the hook that easily. He trusted no one—as was his explanation to her—and that was something he had gotten used to since his birth. The brothers are difficult. They rarely ate, and she ended up being starved all the time. Kadaj often complained about her low resistance to food, and that she was slowing them down. But on the other hand, being with the Remnants was an inaudible gift because of unlimited Shin-Ra encounters. Apparently, they loved picking fights.

Loz was still being neutral on the contrast with Yazoo who was getting close to her day by day. They talked a lot, and started conversations about nothing, and everything. They even got the chance to discuss geeky stuff like the cosmos and the planet, and random science stuff. Yazoo was a comfortable person to stay with, and that was saying something.

[Flashback]

_The group along with Ria sat around the dining room table planning a day's work out. It really wasn't a good thing to bring it up at the moment, but Ria decided to anyway._

"_You guys haven't answered my question yet," she stated quietly._

"_You didn't even talk since we started!" Kadaj snapped; munching on a cookie peppered with marshmallows and chocolate chips._

_Ria sighed. "I don't know why you three look and act like Sephiroth. You seem to have different attributes that originally belong to him. And that's just... creepy."_

_Yazoo smirked at this, and Loz seemed to have found it intriguing._

"_Are you like... his children or something?" Ria whispered cautiously, feigning good intentions, but really, she'd been itching to get out and go to Cloud and spill everything to him._

_He'd need this information. She was spying as much as feign working with Kadaj's gang now._

_Kadaj laughed at her ridiculous question. "Not even close."_

"_Then what_are _you?"_

"_We're Remnants of Sephiroth. I'll leave it at that, and you'll ask nothing more." Kadaj said._

"_Why not?" Ria inquired innocently._

_Kadaj shrugged, "We're really not that important," the young Remnant lied. "We need Mother. She's what's important!"_

_When it came to 'Mother', Ria knew better than to shut up. It was usually best to leave it as it is. She couldn't risk getting Kadaj mad, or give him any ideas that he shouldn't trust her. Mother seemed to be a sensitive subject to be talking about in the presence of _'mere humans'_—such as herself as Kadaj would constantly point out to her, and she hated him for that._

[End of Flashback]

Today though, the Remnant leader let them cut some slack. Basically, a one day rest. So there she was. Ria sat at the shore of the small lake in front of the giant conch shell in the Forgotten City. She stared into the water quietly: thinking, resorting, scheming privately, hoping and wishing with all her might.

"Well, _you're_ awfully subtle," came a quiet yet familiar voice behind her.

His reflection came into the water.

"Oh... Hi Yazoo," Ria greeted and watched as the middle brother returned her greeting with a small smile as he settled himself to sit down next to her.

Somehow, she found herself wishing he wasn't in to Kadaj's whole 'Mother' fascination. Ria found herself wishing Yazoo wouldn't be so blind for far much longer. She wanted him on her side not just because she was growing closer to him, but because he really _was_ a good person once one got to know him.

"What're you thinking about?" He started.

Ria didn't seem to hear him for a moment. All she did was stare at their gloomy reflection the glowing pearl-white trees managed to emanate. No moon was out tonight, just the stars, but the whole forest seemed to glow accompanied with the silence that reined the area.

Yazoo was whistling an unfamiliar tune.

"Are you okay?" He asked once more.

"Sure I am... I was just thinking that it's been two weeks now. Two weeks since I joined you in your cause for Mother."

"Is that a bad thing?" Yazoo offered.

"No. I just... can't believe it. You're so attached to her just like Sephiroth was. And if you're remnants of Sephiroth, does that mean you're all attached to the same 'Mother' he was raving about?" Ria couldn't even believe she was asking these question; much less directing them at Yazoo, but now was her chance to find out if he would relent or be perfectly open towards her.

But instead of the scowl she was sure Yazoo would pull off, an innocent and awed smile graced his pale pink lips.

"I think you're figuring this out by yourself," Yazoo smiled genuinely at her. "Carry on..."

"Is Kadaj—are _you guys_— looking for... Jenova? Jenova's remains?" Ria whispered cautiously—itching for confirmation on the subject matter.

"Kadaj would beat the hell out of me for this, but yes." Yazoo nodded.

"Sorry. It's just too evident."

"I'm not demeaning your intelligence. And besides, it's easier to know that we have each other's back, don't we?" Yazoo asked.

Ria blinked at Yazoo's sudden closeness. His gloved fingers brushed her now healed hands. They were free of bandages now, and Yazoo was delighted to feel her bare skin although they were scarred. She was a young lady, and he was definitely sure he wouldn't let others have her. He wanted her as his, and he was wondering if she was feeling the same way.

"Y-Yazoo?" Ria stuttered.

And that was it. His lips were full on hers—ready and determined. A hand cupped the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him.

Ria was torn between kissing him back, or pushing him away for being so insensitive. Her eyes were wide open, and from her obstructed view, she could see the oblivious bliss engulfing his thoughts. Well, she damned him for it. Placing both hands against his chest, she tried pushing him away with her might, only ending up grasping his leather outfit and pulling him closer.

Yazoo, of course, took this the wrong way. He thought he was pulling herself toward him, and so continued the trail of kisses across her lips with unbridled infatuation.

**Kadaj's POV**

Where is Yazoo? And that girl? I can't seem to find them anywhere. Loz just gave me another thing to be bugged about, well thank him for that. And he's right. It keeps bugging me. And it's been two weeks now. Two weeks of letting Ria 'help' us. I can spit right now. I'm still wary of trusting her, and for the record, I didn't even want anyone else in to this mission of ours except for the original members of course. I consider her as a half-threat. I know it's unfair in her part, but who the heck cares? For one, she doesn't give a damn. And I wouldn't be so surprised if she cocks a gun and threatens to blast my brains out someday. _Like_that's _going to happen._

_Are those sucking sounds?_I round my way over to a small lake, and catch my dear brother making out with—big surprise—the brunette. _Well, this is amusing._I can't help it, and I resort to staring. I can't say I blame Yazoo. She _is_quite a seductress, and I even caught her in her underwear weeks ago. And right now, watching them, I'm not the least bit happy for Yazoo, or pity the 'violated' girl. I bet she's enjoying it. Heck, she _wants_it. They've gotten pretty close for two weeks now, and I'll bet it's their first kiss. And I'm not happy about any of it either—for some unexplainable reason, I just think the whole kissing thing is a joke, and abhorrent. What would Mother think?

I clear my throat loudly, and that breaks them up good. I grin manically, and don't even try to hide my oblivious excitement. And speaking of excitement, I've gotten so close to forgetting the good news I was about to spill right after they made me see a not-so-private moment. _Eh, could've been worse._

**Normal POV**

Kadaj cleared his throat loudly. The sound was loud enough to signal that the romantic moment was over too soon. Yazoo pulled away reluctantly, and Ria sighed gratefully. Well, Kadaj saved her sanity right then. But knowing him, he'd probably have it destroyed in no time.

Yazoo stood up. "How long have you been there Kadaj?"

"Long enough to be merciful and let you have your precious moment," the younger Remnant replied with a tinge of jealousy edging into his voice.

Ria took the brothers' conversation as an opportunity to wash her mouth out, and wipe any remainders of spit from her face. It's wasn't that Yazoo was a good-kisser—darn it, because he was, he just had the knack to press wet kisses on her mouth, and _that_ immediately hit top number two on her 'Grossest Things' list. Gaia, hasn't he heard of the terms of gentleness in a first kiss. Ria didn't like it, and she was getting confused by the minute.

"I'm sure you have a reason for showing up on such short notice tonight." Yazoo stated a matter-of-factly.

"Of course I do," Kadaj snapped harshly earning a grotesque smirk on Yazoo's effeminate features.

"What is it?" Yazoo folded his arms across his chest, and waited.

"I've seen a report on TV. There's been a massacre in a shady area in town where the illegal drugs are sold."

"And then?"

"I want you and Loz to get there before authorities and Shin-Ra hyenas clear the area of evidence." Kadaj spat the word 'Shin-Ra' like it was filthy.

"What evidence do you want exactly little brother?" Yazoo asked, confused as to why Kadaj would resort to puny mortal evidence of everyday of crimes. How can it be related to a search for Mother?

"I'm getting the feeling the massacre's a gun-for-hire thing, and Shin-Ra takes the illegal group as bait for their dirty work. I want you and Loz to clear that area now before _they_ do. In my recent talk with Shin-Ra, he's hiding something, and I can smell it. They're brewing another experiment with regards to reviving Sephiroth."

At the sound of the dead general's name, Ria perked up. Another Sephiroth. Shin-Ra was getting crazier by the minute, dang it. Without an argument, Yazoo walked past Kadaj and headed for the motorcycles parked somewhere behind the lair they stayed in.

vVvVv

At Yazoo and Loz's departure to conduct Kadaj's mission, the Remnant leader had walked over and took Yazoo's place by the lake next to Ria who inched farther from him out of fear. He knew it.

"Aren't you tired yet?" Kadaj inquired, and Ria jumped at the sound of his voice.

"N-Not yet," she stammered, forcing herself to be distracted thoroughly.

Kadaj threw a smooth pebble in the water and watched as it skipped three times before sinking into the shallow depths of dark blue.

"What did you mean by reviving Sephiroth?" Ria asked suspiciously.

"For one thing, if my suspicions are right, it they _are_trying to recreate Sephiroth, well, I'll make sure we have him first before Shin-Ra lies a finger on him or do whatever s*** they've planned from the beginning. They want to rebuild SOLDIER and do everything they can to stop Reunion." Kadaj explained.

"But Sephiroth's the SOLDIER who reduced Shin-Ra to rubble. He destroyed everything he could to get to… Jenova," Ria shuddered with terror at the thought of the world's worst nightmare repeating all over again.

"Don't you get it? What I plan to do?" Kadaj laughed bitterly and with mockery towards her, "From what I've learned, Shin-Ra's best SOLDIER was Sephiroth. Of course they're dumb enough to want to try to recreate him. They'll bring him under their control again, and once they do, they'll turn him against us, and even program him to thinking Mother's the enemy." Kadaj stated with an insane undertone.

'_Jenova _is _the enemy. I have to tell Cloud about this. They need to know,_' Ria thought urgently.

"Mother wanted this planet for her children. She wants to rid the cosmos of naïve fools like Shin-Ra and Strife." Ria flinched at the way Kadaj said Cloud's name. "I can't afford for this plan to even fail. It has to succeed. Mother depends on it. _We_, her children, depend on it. We need Mother's power to fulfill Reunion. And we can't do that without the guests of honor. Shin-Ra is dull enough to not even realize the defective flaw on their plan. In a successive attempt to recreate Sephiroth, _they_draw a wonderful loophole for us to come through. Sephiroth's rebirth makes everything so much easier for all of us. Shin-Ra makes Reunion an even more reachable possibility, in turn, molding into reality," Kadaj finished the complete layout of his plan with a wicked gleam in his serpentine eyes.

"I see," Ria nodded with fake enthusiasm. "Do you think my fellow agents have anything to do with the massacre?" She asked.

Kadaj sighed. "We're taking it as a possibility. Shin-Ra still has five of you left right?" Ria nodded, "Then he's taking one of you for bait. You're lucky enough to be forgotten."

"So you trust me after all?" Ria inquired.

"Not a chance," Kadaj smirked. You could just imagine how hurt an individual would feel after being mocked sarcastically, and then shrugged off like an abandoned rug.

"Then why did you lay out your whole plan for me to hear?" Ria demanded innocently, and Kadaj laughed manically before telling her.

"Dear Captive, you're a lot dense than I thought." Ria frowned at his words. "As soon as we have Sephiroth back, you can forget about your little mission because I have a surprise for you. And you need not worry about your little fellow Agents any more than you plan on going back to your old life as an assistant to Strife's Delivery Service. Pathetic job really."

Okay, now she was scared. "W-Why not?" she stammered; hating the way her voice faltered in the gloom.

"Because I'm almost done with you," Kadaj replied nonchalantly. He took his sword from its sheath, and watched as the blade caught the little amount of light the glowing trees emanated, making it gleam with deadly sharpness.

* * *

**A/N: I was thinking of cookies when I wrote this chapter at home. It was a school day, and my best friend was the reason for Kadaj eating a cookie with marshmallows and chocolate chips in it. They taste pretty good, and I am able to say that because I've eaten one earlier that day.**


	10. Chapter 9: Eavesdropping

**Chapter 9: Eavesdropping **

**Deliria's POV**

_The place is familiar with the pungent odor of rotting flesh. Where the heck am I? One second, I'm standing in a plain of nothingness, and the next, I'm in a rotting field. Shafts of light begin filtering their way through the black cavern-like space above me. I begin to see, and a choked sob escapes my throat at all the burnt bodies. Not just burned, but rotting and charred and exposed pounds of crimson flesh. All eyes are wide open, each one as horrified as the previous. I visibly flinch once I hear snarling._

_I have to run. Instinct screams at me to do these things. Something or someone was here and my company was unwanted so I run. Colors begin blurring before my eyes. I look down at my tired, blistered bare feet. Sharp angled stones cut the skin at my feet. I ached, I burned, but I didn't stop. The snarling is louder than ever now, feeling like that creature is breathing down my neck. It's then I realize I'm not even moving. I'm dead for sure, and I struggle to run even more._

"_You can't run forever," a raspy voice whispered._

_Even with my back turned, I can easily tell I don't want this... thing close to me. Foul rotting breath like it was feasting on corpses long before the ones that littered the barren plain I'm trying to escape from._

"_Face it... You were born this way, and you cannot escape me. Your parents abandoned you because you're a part of me, my child," the voice rasped some more, and I struggle to ignore and get away as far as I can._

_I gasp in shock and pain, and realize a claw has buried itself on my exposed shoulder. I realize the blood streaking down from a cut marred into my cheekbone. My shirt is in tatters, and I'm too woozy to even realize the immense damage._

"_Let go of me! Who the hell are you?! You don't know me, or my parents." I scream in outrage despite the parched feeling of dehydration on my raw throat._

"_You are mistaken, my darling. You are mine."_

_I freeze and stop struggling. The voice was a mere gentle whisper, and it was cold and feminine; icy and aloof, but demanded so much attention. And if I paid any attention earlier, I can easily see that I'm no longer in the barren plane with a beast—no claws, no dead bodies, no foul death-reeked breath, nothing—but glowing trees surround me, and water soaks through my tattered clothing, chilling me to the bone. The Forgotten City. How? Why? I gasp upon seeing the black water hugging me to my waist confusing me even more._

"_You are mine, my child. Know this," the icy voice whispered dryly._

"_Wait! Who are you?!"_

I bolt upright. Somehow, I know it had been a dream, but it feels so real. I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. It's dark out, but I can tell it's dawn. The last thing I remember is being too creeped out by Kadaj's words, that I immediately excused myself so I could go to bed. Despite all this, Kadaj still keeps me in his room because I'm his captive, and from the looks of it, he's not here either, and the door's unlocked. And Kadaj's sword is missing. _Could it be? _

It seems absurd to think that he left with his brothers in a late night agenda—it's really not surprising, but it's a huge possibility. This is my chance to escape, and I won't let this fear get the best of me. I've learned enough for two weeks—that Kadaj is after Jenova to bring Sephiroth back, and destroy the planet. It's all making sense now, and I have to tell Cloud and the others—they'd know what to do, and then I can resume my private investigation.

Soundlessly, I tiptoe towards the door. I know it's ridiculous. No one's home, so why bother being quiet? I'll give you an answer. I'm just so used to either one of them catching me in an oddity that I don't want any of those moments to happen again. Considering Kadaj's ability to shift into mist, and empty air, I'm not taking any chances. I'm getting sick of them sneaking up on me all the time—especially Yazoo, since he thinks it's a pretty good joke.

I open the door and it creaked quietly because of the rusted hinges. I've barely made it to the outside hall where dim lights were available, but voices were floating in my direction, and they sound like arguing. I edged to listen, and I instantly recognize the brothers' voices—one in particular.

"A couple of bullets, a sachet of white illegal stuff, pieces of forfeited documents and authority papers, a pocket notebook, a blood tattered shirt, and some Gil from the cash register," Loz stated. "I don't know how these things relate to Mother, Kadaj." Loz scratched his chin, looking confused, and lost.

"Yeah. I don't get it. There wasn't anything useful in there, maybe except the cash..."

"And this rubbery thing of some sort," Loz holds up a contraceptive that nearly blows my cover because I begin giggling uncontrollably. Who knew Loz could be so innocent?

I laugh even more upon seeing the mortified reaction from Kadaj. His serpentine eyes widened, and Yazoo purses his lips. The youngest grabbed the thing from Loz and throws it across the room where it lands on the dining table, hanging from the edge like a limp, withered vegetable. Gaia, Sephiroth's remnants can be hilarious sometimes.

Loz looks like he's about to cry.

"Why'd you do that? I liked that thing!" He cries out like an innocent child.

"Forget about it, and let's go back to the subject at hand!" Kadaj snaps mercilessly at Loz whose eyes are beginning to tear up. Yazoo isn't hiding his amusement now. He smirks gratifyingly at his siblings' squabbling.

"It was so stretchy!" Loz protested.

"Get over it, and shut the hell up!" Kadaj yelled. "That drug den was one of Shin-Ra's 'pets'. They'd have to have information in there," Kadaj sighed in frustration.

A frown crosses Yazoo's delicate features. "Maybe they were proving to be of no use. You know Shin-Ra. Once you're pointless, and you're service is done, you're disposed of," Yazoo shrugs, and I can't say I don't agree with him because I do. My fellow Agents probably suffered that fate. I'm just lucky I'm not experiencing it yet. The thought makes me guilty.

"Then maybe Shin-Ra got what they wanted from them after all," Kadaj mused silently, but enough that his voice could still be heard from my perch.

"Maybe Shin-Ra had them massacred, and they're sending a clean-up team to get the whole place cleared from the city's existence. Every piece of evidence wiped out," Loz spoke for the first time since Kadaj scolded him off because of the 'stretchy thingy' he so wanted as a toy.

"You got there before _they _did, right?" Kadaj asks, and the two brothers nod once. "All of it?"

"_Some _of it, actually," Yazoo interjects. "It would've taken us hours to clear out the area thoroughly. We just took what seemed to be important."

"Yeah. You took the one's that are pretty much _useless_!" Kadaj growls at the both of them, sending involuntary shivers of fright down my spine. "I can't believe your incompetence! What would Mother think?"

"Maybe you should've gone with us all along," Loz whimpered.

"Are you questioning my leadership Loz?" Kadaj snarled at his older brother.

For some reason, I have the urge to slap Kadaj to a billion phases. Who does he think he is? Demanding things from his brothers like that. If he's _that _competitive, well, maybe he should get the job done all by himself. I scoff from my hidden position.

"No," Loz squeaked and gulped.

Kadaj's face relaxes a little. "Good." And then comes the worst part. He hurls Loz to a far corner of the room where the sounds of a human body being slammed against concrete echoes through the whole house, making my ears ring in alarm. _Uh-oh..._ Kadaj stalks toward him and grabs the front of his leather suit. "You'd better not, or Mother might just get tired of you and dispose you for good. She won't hesitate to ask me for that favor."

The threat leaves me dumbstruck. _Did Kadaj just threaten his own brother? _If he did that to me, it was quite acceptable, but to his own family member. That's just dishonorable. Too much of Kadaj's pride had already mangled with the nerves in his head, I suppose.

Yazoo stands a good ways away, but the pity in his eyes is obvious. Even _I _can see it from this metric distance. Something tells me he objects this side of Kadaj, but what could he do? Kadaj is their leader, and he always has the final decision. Nothing can be said or done once his judgment is passed. All this I have learned for two weeks of being with them. I sigh softly, finding myself pitying Loz as well.

Kadaj mumbles something inaudible. I can see his lips moving, after Loz stares back at him with a pained expression.

"Y-Yes..."

At that exact statement, Kadaj releases him, and the eldest of the three brothers land agilely on his feet once more after Kadaj had suspended him on air against the concrete wall. I watch as the youngest stepped back over to Yazoo with a grim look. He silently picks up the pocket notebook and begins rifling through the pages.

"This is HOPELESS!" I jump at the sound of his cry, and catch him just in time to see that he had dumped the 'worthless' thing on the cement floor. He must have cursed under his breath, and then his expression changed. He bends down and picked up something, and I'm confused as to the notion to why a psychotic grin suddenly comes to his lips.

"This isn't too bad after all..."

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

After Ria's dormant eavesdropping on the Remnants' conversation, she crept back to Kadaj's bed and lay down. She tried to sleep once more, but thoughts of her recent nightmare, and Kadaj's rough, brutal attitude left her wide awake. If she really _was _planning an escape, the real question was _when _and _how_. She couldn't easily escape the Remnants without a fight or being killed. They weren't abductors who kidnapped for ransom, and were dumb enough that captives escaped them easily; these men—though young—were far more dangerous than any high profile criminal or wanted terrorist she could think of. In fact, she even considered that these types of criminals were willing to make a boy like Kadaj their leader just to commit a perfect crime.

She tossed and turned and kicked the covers off. She had left the door unlocked and the way it was before she attempted to sneak out, and all but stiffened in alarm when she heard the doorknob click, and an eerie silence followed. It lasted for exactly three minutes and twenty seconds before she was itching with curiosity. She turned and gasped in alarm when a gloved hand placed flat on the mattress was what greeted her.

She let her gaze travel towards his ethereal pale white skin that was quite visible despite the darkness the room was cast in, and then up to his cyan serpentine eyes that glowed in the dark.

"For some reason, I knew you were awake..." he droned as he shifted his weight, and faced her in his current sitting position.

She felt helpless lying there, so Ria sat up and tried to meet the glowing blue-green orbs, but ended up lost in the depths of them.

"W-What do you mean?" she stammered, and Kadaj smirked.

"Drop it, Agent. I know you heard and saw everything."

"What are you talking about?" Ria gasped, and Kadaj snorted.

"I heard your heartbeat, and so did my brothers." Kadaj traced his finger across the sheets, as Ria followed his hands with her knees silently drawn up to her chest.

Ria sighed. "I didn't hear everything—maybe saw—but not hear. I didn't know what you were so happy about when something caught your eye at the last minute."

Kadaj chuckled wickedly. "And you're still wondering why I didn't voice it out loud?" Kadaj raised an eyebrow despite the darkness.

She couldn't see him, but he could see _her_. And the looks of surprise on her face made him want to drop his aloof demeanor, and start rolling on the floor in hysterics. She looked like a pink fish.

"My presence was known, so you kept it to yourselves," Ria figured automatically.

Kadaj rolled his eyes. "Well, _duh_?"

All at once, Ria burst out in uncontrollable laughter. Kadaj—the Remnant leader—just said 'Well _duh_?'. It was some word she never thought she'd hear him use. She often disregarded it as something banned from his vocabulary, seeing as it was common in the female language.

"What's so funny?"

"'Well _duh_?'" she said in a horrible imitation of his voice. Ria shook her head. "That just sounds so... different. Coming from you." She managed.

Kadaj watched as she clutched her stomach and doubled over on the bed. She sat as still as a statue as he watched her giggle. He cocked his head like a curious puppy, and watched her for a while. For that one moment, she appeared so free—carefree, in fact—which was in direct contrast to her current situation as his captive. He flushed when he realized he'd been staring at her, and her laughter had long since dissolved into stifled hiccups with light tittering.

"What's wrong with saying 'duh'?" the Remnant inquired nonchalantly.

"It's just a part of the female language, that's all..." Ria shrugged, righting herself in the process, and ending up feeling Kadaj's breath on her face.

"What are you, sexist?" Kadaj smirked upon catching her surprised reaction to his sudden closeness. He was having so much fun now.

"N-No."

"Good to hear... Agent," he finished the last part with a catch, and sneakily leaned in to nuzzle her nose with his...


	11. Chapter 10: Schemes

**Chapter 10: Schemes**

**Normal POV**

"I can't say I'm not impressed," Yazoo commented after minutes of burning a stare into the complicated sketches and notes on the piece of paper Kadaj had found the other night.

Upon hearing Yazoo's quiet comment, Kadaj nodded with sheer agreement.

"But will it really help us find Mother?" Loz asked innocently, and the Remnant leader shot him a death glare.

"Loz... it's a formula fabricated to hasten the longevity of Sephiroth's recreated clone. It's designed to copy the attributes of the original SOLDIER." Kadaj smirked. "Awakening Sephiroth will just be made easier."

"So what exactly are you planning?" Yazoo cocked an eyebrow.

"Easy. We let Shin-Ra figure this out for us." Kadaj snatched the paper from Yazoo, and reviewed it once more. "We'll just have to turn their new creation against them."

"So what do we do now?" Loz inquired childishly.

"In the meantime... We'll do our part by finding Mother and that means scouting Midgar for Cloud's whereabouts... What do you say we let the girl pay him a visit?"

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

Kadaj and his gang are letting me go. Can you believe it?! NOT! I'm not that dumb and it's really suspicious since they're letting me off easy. I know they're not that dumb to let me go out of pure 'feeling like it', but something is definitely up. On the bright side, this might be my only chance to tell Cloud what danger the world's in now.

So... yeah... I stare at Kadaj with a bewildered expression as he pushes me out the door with my backpack slung over my shoulder.

"Are you being serious?" I inquire the boy who is grinning manically at me right now.

Kadaj's face falls into an amusing frown.

"Does this look like the face of someone who gives a s*** if you walk free or not?"

"I guess not," I shrug. I have to be careful. They're always planning something and I just can't go walking carefree like the world's suddenly grown flowers everywhere.

"You're useless. Bye!"

And just like that... I'm still stunned even after the door had slammed in my face. Yeah, I was gone for good. And now I know they're planning something. They wouldn't just let me go without a valid reason.

I sigh heavily and begin my way out of the forest. Hopefully, I'll catch a bus and get to Midgar in record time. Kadaj doesn't realize that once he lets me go, I'll tell Cloud everything. Did he really trust me that much? He'd let me go without a catch? I think not! Knowing him, he would've killed me instead.

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

"I still don't understand why you let her go like that? She'll tell Cloud everything once she gets to him," Loz asks like a little kid asking his mommy: 'where do babies come from.'

Kadaj sighed in frustration. His brother will never understand his thoughts. Did he really need the 'Basic Rules for Criminals' handbook? The Remnant leader resisted the urge to just bash Loz's head with a crate of eggs that were in front of him. On the other hand, Kadaj still didn't get why Yazoo bought those in the market today.

"I'm willing to take that risk, since I know my plan wouldn't fail me this time. Patience Loz. Everything will be revealed to you in time. Normally, I'd tell you right now, but I'm really not in the mood. So... YAZOO! What are the eggs for?!"

vVvVv

After hours of exhausting travel, Ria had finally made it. And Gaia knows how much trouble it took her to get to Seventh Heaven Bar. For Gaia's sake, she couldn't even believe she had forgotten the money needed for transportation. She had to hitch rides and even walk a few times. So much for trying to keep a clean record.

Ria panted slightly at having to run all the way to get here. She was way too paranoid that Kadaj and his gang were following her and it was setting her on edge. Well, she finally at the place she was itching to be in weeks. Cloud would take care of them, and she wouldn't have to worry about it any longer. Taking a deep breath, Ria walked around to the main entrance of the bar, and... knocked.

The door opened and before the young woman could react, the seventeen-year old had already thrown her arms around the barmaid. Surprised at the girl's forwardness, Tifa blinked momentarily before taking notice that the girl hugging her was no other than her assistant barmaid Ria.

"How have you been? You've been gone for two weeks."

Ria pulled away but held Tifa at arm's length. At that moment, she felt like she could cry out of relief and pure happiness. She'd made it.

"I-I-I... Cloud... He needs to know something..." Ria hung her head out of pure exhaustion, and Tifa kept her steady with both hands on her shoulders.

"Come inside... We can talk about everything once you're all settled. Okay?" Tifa suggested gently and Ria nodded with a sniffle.

vVvVv

Tifa nodded in understanding after hearing Ria's whole story; about how Kadaj had kidnapped her, and how she played along with their story to get information on what they intended to do, and Kadaj's plan.

"It _is _a serious matter." Tifa agreed as Ria sipped on her tea.

"When will he be coming back?" The brunette inquired quietly, still ignoring the fact that the top of her head looked like a bird's nest.

Tifa shook her head. "I'm not sure. He's gone somewhere during the day after hearing reports of missing children with Geostigma."

Ria cocked her head, alert now more than ever. "He's behind it. Kadaj. They want to revive Sephiroth and in order to do that, he'd need Jenova, and I'm guessing he wants an army. He was talking about taking over the planet after all," she shrugged.

World Domination was the least of her worries right now. Cloud could handle this, and Shin-Ra—even though she hated them—needed to know about this. Ria knew she had to play a card with two opposite faces. She's on Cloud's side, but not on Shin-Ra's. And she's bent on finding them for her answers.

vVvVv

"Perfect..." Kadaj whispered sinisterly.

She had done what he was really expecting her to do. Spill all that's happened to her for the past two weeks, with regards of spilling the beans on his 'plan' to Cloud and Tifa. It was surely getting amusing, and Yazoo had just succeeded taking the children to their base.

In fact, it wouldn't really matter if Cloud knew what he was planning or not. Clueless or not, Kadaj knew Big Brother would still try and stop them whatever it took, and that wasn't gonna happen.

Now all he needed to do was go back to the Forgotten City, and wait for the prey to latch on to his bait.

vVvVv

"They're at their base in the Forgotten City. I'm thinking that's where they took the kids. It's where they held me hostage," Ria explained to Cloud as the blonde nodded in quiet agreement.

He stood up from the dining room table, and headed for the bar's entrance. Ria gasped slightly. Something was telling her to come with Cloud and it was really strange, but she really had the feeling that she was right; that she shouldn't doubt her instincts now or she'd be sorry. And before she could react properly...

"Cloud, wait! I'm coming with you."


	12. Chapter 11: Trapped

**Chapter 11: Trapped**

**Normal POV**

"They're coming right?" Loz asked, coming into full understanding of his little brother's well thought of plan.

"Of course they are. I made sure of that. I want to use her, and if she doesn't turn from Cloud, I'm turning Cloud away from her," Kadaj whispered, casting a quick glance at the children perched on the treetops, ready to block Cloud's entrance when he gave the signal.

"I can hear his bike." Yazoo muttered simply and reached into his holster, and cocked his gun, ready to fire.

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

We race past glowing trees as Cloud and I make our way to Kadaj's gang's base. We have to get there, and rescue the kids; otherwise, Kadaj would use them just as he used me. It still bothers me though. Why did he let me go? I had forgotten about that thought earlier upon learning from Tifa that kids were kidnapped. They're planning something, I know, but I did not tell Cloud about anything I was thinking.

Cloud swerves to the right, and I nearly fall off. And I realize why. We're in firing range, and I can see Cloud's tense shoulders as he tries his best to maneuver the bike away from the bullets. And just then, human figures drop from the trees—children obviously. Cloud's driving is making me dizzy as he drives his bike to the left and it's when I recognize the child that he was avoiding to hit. Denzel and Marlene are taken to. My teeth clench in frustration. Kadaj is too much now.

I yelped in pain, and hear Cloud's pain-filled groaning as he glides on the rough dirt. And apparently, I realize that I'm facedown on the dirt too. He must have lost control of the motorbike. _Great job Cloud._

I raise myself up to a half sitting position, and I can see that Cloud's recovered pretty quick.

"I'm glad you could make it. And you brought my little minion with you too," Kadaj's voice rings out from my right, and I turn to look at him.

He's striding towards me, and Cloud's following his swift motion with a glare.

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

Ria hissed in pain and tried to sit up, and Kadaj's leather boots filled her vision. She blinked a couple of times and didn't have time to react right when he picked her up and held her to his chest. Her heart raced at thousands of possibilities. Is this what Kadaj was planning all along?

Cloud stared from his spot, not being able to move from his frozen spot. Was Ria really working with Kadaj? And they had this planned all along? The blonde didn't understand at all, and he could see how her eyes flutter closed with contentment as Kadaj kissed her softly and rather maliciously too.

Ria gasped at the sudden touch of Kadaj's lips. It made her forget about everything, including what situation they were in right now. Her feelings confused her to the highest level of sanity. Never had she dreamed of those lips kissing her like he owned her. Hesitantly, Ria began kissing him back, slowly, and unsuspecting of the triumphant cackle that was ringing in Kadaj's head. He had her, and he knew he had twisted the motions around. Cloud actually believed the scene; the Remnant leader could sense the tension in the air. A single kiss had changed the game around.

Kadaj pulled away, and Ria tried to follow unconsciously. Upon seeing Cloud's perplexed shocked face, she had snapped back into reality. Her body had responded in way that wasn't supposed to happen. She tried to stop, really, but how could she when there was a strange undeniable pull towards the boy holding her. She didn't have feelings for Kadaj, but maybe her lips had proved that wrong.

Now though, Cloud was glaring at her, and she tried to yell out an apology and that she'd explain later, but she was cut off when Kadaj laid an open-mouthed kiss to the side of her neck, making Cloud's eyes narrow further.

Cloud aimed an open swing of his sword intending to knock Kadaj off of his feet. Apparently, the youngest Remnant had avoided it, and left Ria gasping for air in disbelief at what had happened. Cloud didn't spare her a glance as he proceeded to block attacks aimed at him by the two other Remnants. And the fight was on.

Loz rushed at Cloud and disappearing in a blur of blue motion, swung at him with Dual Hound. Cloud avoided the attack stealthily, only to get kicked in the face by Yazoo who laughed manically at Cloud's expense, and as he shot the young man single-handed.

Meanwhile, Ria had spotted her target who was standing in the sidelines, watching as his brothers attacked Cloud.

Kadaj grinned with malicious intent at how Cloud suffered from the fight because of his Geostigma. Quietly, she crept, and swung at him with her fist and tackled him to the ground eliciting a venomous hiss from the silver-haired teen.

"Why are you doing this?" Ria yelled at him, her braid flinging at his face.

"Damn you girl!" Kadaj growled as he wrapped his leg around her knees, twisting and reversing their positions.

Ria yelped in pain as Kadaj's knee dug against her pelvis, and Gaia, it really hurt.

"He's the only family you have right?!" Kadaj jeered, and she winced in pain at his hands that were gripping the back of her neck, like her veins were going to explode. "Normally, I would've handed you his head on a silver platter, but I guess I'll enjoy better seeing him turn against you, and you getting emotionally injured."

Ria growled and delivered a stunning blow to his cheek, drawing blood. Kadaj's head snapped to the side and he bared his teeth as he glowered at her. If looks could brutally kill, his did. Ria cussed as she scrambled to get off from under him, but wasn't given the chance when he grabbed both of her ankles and planted her on the dirt with his body between her legs.

"You wanted it! And you're getting it Ria!" Kadaj whispered threateningly.

He placed his lips against her collarbone. Ria squirmed and tried to turn away, but he made it utterly impossible, because she was feeling tied to him all of a sudden. Her hands that were balled into fists punching his back had suddenly tangled in his hair, drawing his head up for a subtle kiss on her mouth.

'_What am I doing?_' Ria yelled in her mind. '_Stop it!_'

Kadaj bit down on her bottom lip, drawing blood, but he didn't care. He wanted to hear her scream in pain, but none of that happened. Ria whimpered against his lips as she felt the different emotions swirling in her head. She felt confusion, wrath, and passion; all those said emotions not belonging to her. She knew because there was some sort of barrier in her head directing it. With that, Kadaj pulled away from her in an instant, standing up and leaving her in the bushes as he stepped forward.

And the next thing heard were sounds of clashing metal as the battle raged on. She heard gunshots, and a mix of grunts and cussing and then the clearing fell silent.

* * *

**A/N: Honestly, I don't know why that kind of idea popped into my head. I know some might think, 'Cloud was deceived by a damn kiss'? That's what I was thinking when I reread this chapter, so really, I have no idea why that came to mind. I'm sorry if I made Cloud gullible. Don't kill me. Please?**


	13. Chapter 12: Reminiscing

**Chapter 12: Reminiscing**

**Deliria's POV**

I listen as the sounds of the battle faded away into nothing. The silence is unbearable that I can definitely hear my own blood rushing through my ears. I sigh in confusion, and obliviously bring my fingers to my lips. _Kadaj kissed me… More than once now. And I don't know why._ I shake my head. I have to find Cloud. I have to tell him that I had no idea of what was happening. It's like one second, I was me, and the next, I'm outside, watching my body go slack in the bad guy's arms as I kiss him back. Kadaj knows exactly what he's doing. He didn't kiss me because he felt like it. Maybe it was a way of turning Cloud against me? Possibly.

Groggily, I stand and make my way through the foliage, not even bothering to be silent. I have to find Cloud. I pause when I hear voices drifting into my direction.

"Vincent! What do you know about this?"

Cloud.

"I come here often. I've seen what Kadaj's group is doing. Including a time when they brought a teenage girl here."

I lower myself to some branches because I need to hear more.

"Braided hair?" There was no answer.

"I've seen how she came with them once to probably investigate."

I bite my lip. They're talking about me.

"Is the girl in a relationship with...Kadaj?"

"I can't answer that."

"He kissed her a while ago!"

Cloud yells in outrage. I wince at the tone he's using; accusing me like I was some unwanted kid. I care about them. Him and Tifa and the kids. They're the only family I've ever known even just for two years. Tears begin brimming at the corners of my eyes. Kadaj has ruined my life.

The conversation keeps droning on, but I don't focus. Why don't I do something about this you ask? How could I when it's obvious Cloud hates me now. More than anything. Kadaj's plan had come into action, and he broke me from any ties with Cloud. How could he?

The forest is quiet all over again. Vincent and Cloud had left already; considering the silence in the area. I can't help but curl into a ball as I hug my knees to my chest in quiet despair. I don't care how much time has passed because if I go back now, I don't have anything to look back at—maybe except my private investigation that craves completion—but that's it. What more?

I sob involuntarily and that's when I feel a hand on my bare shoulder. I look up and lose myself in Yazoo's otherworldly green eyes. He's staring at me in a way I can't comprehend.

"Kadaj sent me to get you," he says, but I turn away from him, hating his brother for the unnecessary action.

"Yazoo... Do you like me?" I don't know why I ask him this question, but I do anyway.

I feel him crouch down at my level but I still keep my back turned to him. He runs a finger through my hairline.

"You know I do. I wouldn't have kissed you that time if I didn't," he whispers.

"Then why did you let him do this to me?" I can't think anymore. I know what I'm saying's wrong, but I just can't help it. And it's unfair to Yazoo. He didn't hurt me, but his younger brother did. "If you cared for me at all!"

I turn to face him, and he places his forehead against mine ever so gently. He's different from Kadaj; more comforting and safe, but a bit scary.

"You know full well I can't disobey his orders; lest I commit mutiny. He knows what to do to find Mother. And he's right," Yazoo's eyes close as he brings his hand around to cup my cheek. "Ria, I-I think I more than like you."

"I'm sorry Yazoo... I can't." I whisper, turning away from him as I say so.

He takes my arm and pulls me up as I stumble in his arms, but he doesn't say anything.

"Let's get you back to base. Kadaj is probably wondering what's taking us so long."

My life's ruined. I don't know what to say now that the day's events have exhausted me, but I let Yazoo lead my way back. I guess he's the only one I'll hold on to while I try to get used to my now messed up more than before life. And I still need to finish my investigation.

vVvVv

I lie in Kadaj's bed again. Held captive. I now realize that he planned this all along, so that no one will come and try to rescue me. Even Vincent thinks Cloud's right. Soon, Tifa and the kids will too, and I'll be their enemy. Considering as my life's already messed up, thanks to Kadaj, he's messed it up some more; I guess I really _am_ meant for this. To be alone.

[Flashback]

_I can still remember it clearly. I feel kind of nostalgic thinking about the time I first came of logic. It was my reality; the fact that I was growing up in an orphanage; a place where kids without parents were kept. When I was five, I found out that some kids lost their parents during an accident or a criminal case. Even with their share of bad luck, I thought them to be lucky. They knew how it felt to have a mother take care of you, to have a father teach you stuff you'd want to know. They'd have memories to fall back to whenever they felt lonely. I spent seven years of my life mourning my parents. Whether they died in an accident—like the others, or gave me away out of necessary measures, I don't know. Birthdays are the joys of little children. In my case, it's the worst thing that could happen to me because as I get older, the more the reality crashes into me. The more I mature, the more I entertain the fact that my parents didn't want me. Because if they did, they would've done everything to keep me with them. If they couldn't raise me, they'd give me to somebody who could, but still make themselves known to me. It's unfair. Seven years of my life were spent thinking like a crazed depressed teenager. I never enjoyed my childhood, and I think I never had the joys of a happy-go-lucky nature as a child. _

_It was playtime that day when men in uniforms entered the facility's premises. I was among the kids there, and I watched with suspicion as they conversed with the head of the orphanage. The next thing I knew, they were dragging off kids my age, and those that were older than me. I didn't know what to do, but I was more than determined to get out of that little place I had come into consideration as my home. So when they ordered me to go with them, I didn't hesitate to pack my things and leave. It was a mandatory order, but I didn't care; as long as I left the place, it was fine with me. I needed to see a different world; of what lay beyond the boundaries of wide circular walls that blocked any contact with the real world. In the orphanage, they'd take us out occasionally. Those that were allowed to leave with chaperones were the kids aging from sixteen to eighteen._

_They brought us to a compound of what looked like a military-based wall. I've heard of Mako reactors, but I never dreamed of seeing one in real life. I've heard the older boys in the orphanage talking about sneaking out and joining SOLDIER to become famous. I never heeded those dreams of theirs until then that Shin-Ra Electric Power Company's logo came hitting me in the face. We were taken into the main stay areas, and told to wait. And there I saw many kids my age, and the older ones too. In an orientation later, we were told that everyone in that singled out room belonged to the ages of twelve to nineteen years old. They explained that we were to be trained for a few weeks, and submit ourselves to experimentation to see how well we could hold out training, and if we were fit enough. They explained about SOLDIER and us being used as main tracking devices for a SOLDIER's mission. We were also told to oversee trainings. After the explanations, I caught some really scared faces, and a few who were excited. _

_We held out training and lab rat treatments. Shin-Ra had hunger for power, and our group was the complicated sorts to use as tools for any Shin-Ra activity that couldn't be optimized with machines. The Turks were mostly the guys that trained us. I grew up in Shin-Ra and spent three years there as an Agent. I did secret research on my family, but I uncovered nothing. But not all of those times were easy. There were a couple of missions where I nearly died. If people get scars once in a while, I get one almost everyday. I would've done anything to be a Turk, and not experience the harsh treatment we were given whenever we nearly failed or lost track of our subject. I used to track down Sephiroth, and his mission. That's why I'm in the danger zone all the time. _

_There was one incident where I blacked out during a mission. I wouldn't have survived. That part of my life remains a mystery me. I remember I lost so much blood from stab wounds and bullet shots. The next thing I knew, I woke up in a Shin-Ra private hospital room where the nurse told me I had been out cold for two weeks. But I went back on duty after a week of rest. You could just imagine the stress I'm going through, and the pressure I undergo every time one of us gets sent to REJECT. _

_I was fifteen when the Meteor Incident occurred where many lives were lost, and Shin-Ra had blown up. SOLDIER was no more after Sephiroth had raved insane after finding out his real origin. I've seen Jenova's preserved body before, and it never occurred to me that I might face the same subjective nemesis two years later. _

_After the Meteor Incident, I was broke. I tried looking for a job, but the only one available for a fifteen-year old like me was a stripper. And no chance in Gaia was I going to be a slut. I stumbled on Tifa's bar one cold night. It was still open, and when I came inside, I heard the usual noise one would hear in a bar. I came up to her just to bet my last stone of getting a job, and it really brightened me up when she accepted. I immediately started on the morning after. I was able to rent a cheap apartment, because staying with Tifa had suddenly become a little too disgraceful for me. My salary doubles because I help with Cloud's deliveries. I worked with them until the day I was conducting my private investigation, and Kadaj kidnapped me._

[End of Flashback]

I snap out of my nostalgic thoughts at the feel of another weight settling into the mattress. I know it's Kadaj, and I don't bother to turn around. He ruined my life even more, and I hate him for it. I take a deep breath, and feel something wet tracking across my cheek. I raise a hand to touch my face, and I realize I've been crying. Not just because of what's happened earlier, but because of the simple unbidden fact that I went through so much tough times in seventeen years of my life. In such a short span of time, I never got around to enjoying anything. _Do I really deserve this much pain? _

**Kadaj's POV**

She sobbed, and don't think I didn't notice. I came inside with the simple knowledge that I'd hurt her according to Yazoo and his dramatic mantras. I scoff inwardly. _Like _I _care._ I guess I'm just not ready to lose an important tool yet, and I need her knowledge to find Mother. But what's confusing me even more were the thoughts running through my head an earlier time ago during the encounter with Cloud when I feigned feelings for her that didn't exist.

The kiss doesn't bother me of course—I had that teeny tidbit planned out. What's bothering me are the thoughts running through my head when I oh so subtly kissed her. It wasn't mine. There's just something telling me that those thoughts aren't mine at all. It feels suspiciously like an inner bond I had felt only towards my brothers, because they're connected to Mother just as _I_ am. I may have not noticed it before but I can sense her emotions just as well as I can sense my brothers', but that's not possible since how can this girl be tied to Mother anyway. She doesn't share Mother's mimetic legacy, nor does she have the capabilities we possess. It's too confusing.

And that's when it hits me; a wave of emotional injury. She's right next to me, and I know it's her. I meant to cause her that pain, and now she has to live with it. I quietly turned around to face her back. Her shoulders are heaving slowly, and without seeing her face in the predawn hours, I know she's crying, and she... needs someone to... hold her... right now...

_Wait. What?_

**Normal POV**

Without even thinking or consoling his inner self, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him to hold her there and keep her safe like she needed to be.

Ria blinked rapidly in surprise. Kadaj. Kadaj was holding her now? What? She didn't understand. One second, he's sadistic like he might just kill her any moment, but now he's holding her to him, like a perfect puzzle piece that fit together all along. Ria thrashed out madly despite the throbbing pain on her bottom lip that suffered at the mercy of his teeth, and the pain it caused her body. She was too exhausted, and too weak from the fight, and it drained nearly all of her energy.

"Hey it's okay. Just calm down," he whispered comfortingly; running his fingers through her hair.

"It's okay... Shhh... Everything's going to be alright."

Yeah... She wished everything _would _be alright, but sadly, it wasn't reality. For all she knew, it could've been pseudo sympathy he was showing her, and she cursed him for that. He almost sounded like Yazoo, and that made it all the more irritating. So instead of pondering endlessly about that fact now, she just gave in to that heavy feeling of despair that was inside her and cried... and cried... and cried.

And he held her. Not mocking her, not saying a word; but just, brushing away her tears until her breathing evened out and she had fallen into a deep sleep.


	14. Chapter 13: Damage

**A/N: Okay... I think some people will hate me for this chapter (especially the Cloud fan girls) I'll apologize now. I am very very sorry.**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Damage**

**Normal POV**

The group had split up. Yazoo and Loz took their bikes and went into Midgar to see as much on Cloud's life as possible, and Ria and Kadaj were going to Shin-Ra's home laboratory to investigate some more.

"Kadaj?" Ria piped up while seated behind Kadaj on his motorcycle. "Since you pretty much ruined my life, what do you want from me now?"

"Right now, I want you to come with me and get more answers from Shin-Ra on those computers. Hiding Mother is something they've always been very good at." Kadaj replied with obvious cockiness to his voice. "Just shut up and try to keep yourself alive."

The motorbike sped up some more, accelerating to 200mph and it did nothing but made Ria even more sick. She was still thinking about what had happened last night. She fell asleep in Kadaj's arms and she didn't even question him about it in the morning—as awkward as she felt around him now. At least she woke up alone the next morning, and with another sanction order of three minutes to get ready. She'd decided that with Cloud's trust or not, she'd still try and stop the Remnants from getting their hands on Jenova. She'd give it her best shot even if it meant her last. She knew that Cloud and the others were probably planning now.

vVvVv

"Is anyone home?" Ria asked casually, and Kadaj was silent for a couple of seconds before dismounting his motorcycle.

"No one's home as usual," he sighed, disgruntled and beckoned Ria to come with him.

The brunette followed behind quite sluggishly than was necessary. Normally, she would've run away by now; would've dashed into the trees and get as far from them as possible, but no. There was nothing left to go back for—remembering how he'd broken existing ties with her friends with just a kiss. It was a bit of her own fault too. She had subtly given in and followed the voice inside her head, telling her to respond.

This time, instead of breaking down the door, Kadaj just picked the lock in five seconds. The door swung open, and they both quietly headed to the lab without much scuffle. And to her credit, Kadaj was actually surprised at her silence. He smirked. He sure did a pretty good job at ruining her life. Maybe he should do it more often.

"We'll have to make this quick. Shin-Ra doesn't stay out for long even if he spends most of his time in Healin." Kadaj stated without sparing Ria a glance.

They quickly booted up the computer, and typed in the password.

"Damn," Ria cursed under her breath.

"What is it?" Kadaj asked quietly, turning from his spot where he was casually leafing through some files.

"They changed the password." Ria huffed impatiently.

Remembering the last time they had been in a similar situation, Kadaj contemplated everything for the moment. Ria and Yazoo talked about finding things in the room that had something to do with the code. Was there any possible reminder in the room they were in now? Just to make sure, Kadaj checked the places the last time they had found the plaques. Like he guessed, the plaques were nowhere to be seen.

"Help me look for it?" Kadaj suggested upon seeing Ria's spaced out expression in front of the glowing screen.

"There are more ways of hiding remembrances of a password than just placing it around the room. Shin-Ra knows that just in case you guys ever raid his lab again, you won't find a way..." Ria explained.

"What do you mean 'you'?" Kadaj interjected sharply, anger flashing in his serpentine Mako eyes.

"You and your gang," Ria placed her head in her hands, "We can't do anything about it now, can we? Why don't we just give up this search of yours?"

Rage. And Ria was too late to take notice of the backhanded slap Kadaj had landed on her face. The brunette fell to the floor in a heap, the young Remnant staring at her, eyes full of unkempt wrath. She grunted and risked a glance up at the handsome face glowering down at her. Kadaj's pupils had transformed into vertical slits that were much thinner and looked more dangerous than his usual. The veil of silver hair hanging at the right side of his face added more danger to his feline features.

"You will do as I say, and not question me any more than my brothers do. You're mine now!" He yelled and reached down, taking her arm and forcing her to her feet.

"You ruined my one hell of a life already. Do you even have any idea of what I've been through?" She yelled defiantly at him, and for a second, his features softened like he understood, but it disappeared in a second.

"And you're one ***k of a talker too aren't you? The hell I care of what you've been through! Finding Mother is what's important, and I won't let some... some... idiotic, naïve girl lead me astray!"

Kadaj couldn't believe the words pouring from his mouth. For a second there, he thought he was going to falter. It was strange now. Her emotions begin flooding his head rampantly, and static-filled images came into his mind. One that stood out was of a blood bathed girl in a battlefield, and he also felt like he was going to cry.

Kadaj stared at her, and saw the thin wet streaks running down her cheeks. His eyes widened in bewilderment. The feeling of crying wasn't his after all: it was hers. She was shaking her head, with a hand covering her mouth. She turned her back to him, and even thought of running away like it was some lovers' quarrel, but it wasn't.

He growled, a low and menacing sound, and kicked the computer, ignoring it as it shut down completely by the surreal might of a Remnant's foot.

"Now _that's_one hell of a spat."

Alert, and back on track, Kadaj whirled around to face Reno and Rude with a taser in the redhead's hand, tapping it against his shoulder.

With a fierce battle cry, the redhead lunged for the silver-haired teen, but as quick as lightning, he had dissipated into black mist that hovered over the entire room, depriving the people in it to see what was actually happening.

The next thing heard was Rude's heavy grunt of pain as he was hurled to the floor. Reno blinked a couple of times as if he'd been hit by a stun gun. Kadaj was still nowhere in sight, and so it surprised the Turk when he materialized behind him in a thin veil of black mist. Drawing his Souba, the Remnant prepared to deliver a death blow when Ria cried out.

"Kadaj, no!" She screamed and the two men stared at her in shock. Ria ignored their reactions. "Hold him down for me. I'm going to ask him a few questions."

vVvVv

"Deliria?!" Reno inquired from his imprisonment to a chair. "What are _you_doing with _him_?"

Kadaj watched the scene in a neutral expression. Rude had been knocked out, so he shouldn't cause much trouble.

"You don't know yet? I'll explain _after_you give me the correct answers."

Reno didn't say anything. Ria swallowed hard for a minute. This was it. She was going to take the opportunity provided, and demand for some answers. The Turks are Shin-Ra's personal bodyguards; therefore, they should know at least about the Agents who were taken down.

"To start, what happened to the other Agents who were sent out on missions after Meteor?"

Kadaj smirked at her tone of interrogation. If he was being honest with himself, he actually found it hot. She was questioning Reno like she was some top deputy head officer who was going to rip his fingernails of any moment. He bit his lip, keeping himself in check. He needed control, and he needed it now.

"You weren't with them?" Reno asked, full of bewilderment.

Ria did an eye roll. "Would I be standing here interrogating you if I did?"

Reno just stared, and the brunette sighed. "They all died. You know that. You're a Turk!" she accused, but the obnoxious redhead stayed quiet.

"Are you going to answer me or do I have to use all the interrogation training you've taught me?" Ria demanded in a descending town.

"We don't have any further reports. All Shin-Ra has is info that their missions failed. Most were murdered, but a small percentage just vanished." Reno explained with nonchalance that made the Agent want to slap him.

"What about the five of us left?"

"I-"

Reno was going to answer when a sudden sound of hurried footsteps began resounding in the hall. Kadaj instantly recognized who the two other intruders were. The Remnant leader reached into his pocket and fished out his phone to call the two others. Yazoo and Loz needed to be here. The moment of truth was coming and it was their chance to know where Mother was.

Rufus and Cloud entered the laboratory and were wearing bewildered expressions upon seeing the two Turks, the Remnant leader, and Ria in one room.

"So you _are_working with him aren't you?" Cloud spoke up.

Kadaj smirked from his place at Ria's visible grimace. Ria turned to the blonde man who was standing next to the company president, gripping his Fusion sword tightly in one hand.

"Cloud. You have to understand." Ria glanced at Kadaj from her peripheral vision.

Crossing her fingers mentally, she hoped with all her might that Cloud would listen to her honest explanations, because after she would lay out the full plan, Kadaj was sure to name her a traitor and gladly kill her. Cloud had to listen to her. He had to. For everyone's sake.

"Kadaj... He... tricked you. I'm not working with him. How could I? You and Tifa are the only family I've ever had. Why would I betray you? Kadaj is using me against you. I've been going along with them for two weeks because he threatened me, and I know what his plans are. I want to help you Cloud. I've been going along with whatever Kadaj is telling me to do just so I can stop him." Ria finished in one breath, and couldn't take it any longer. Cloud had to believe her. If he didn't, then she was sure dead meat.

"From the beginning, I knew you were working on treachery, but I guess I underestimated your thinking. I thought I had you. I'll kill you!" Kadaj seethed, his grip on Souba was tightening as he glowered at the girl who cowered at his burning glare.

She deserved death, and she had been practically begging for it from his hand since the day they met. Cloud was still contemplating, and Shin-Ra was obviously on edge. Reno was staring from his spot tied down to a chair.

"Then I'll fight. It's not like it matters. You've always wanted to kill me! Hell, you threaten me everyday!" Ria yelled at him, but everyone froze when Cloud spoke.

"I trusted you Ria. It takes years to build trust, but I've learned that it only takes suspicion—not proof—to break it." Cloud calmly stated, and Ria was in shock, but the blonde just ignored her. "I saw how you reacted when he did _that_to you. Sorry Ria. Whether you're telling the truth or not, I'll never know now."

How could Cloud be so calloused and reserved? It was so selfish. Ria longed to scream at him. Kadaj ruined her life, and yeah... she'd rather be killed right now. A tear streaked down Ria's one eye at their insensitive remarks.

"Cloud... I-I don't understand," the brunette whispered.

"I can't risk the life of so many others just for one." Cloud shook his head, raising his weapon ready for battle.

Rufus pulled a shot gun from the folds of his suit and began shooting at the silver haired teen that dodged the bullets expertly; avoiding every kind of blow directed his way. The Remnant leader made a mad slash at Shin-Ra, ripping a part of his suit sending it to the floor in tattered form.

Cloud rushed over to help, and Ria jumped into the fight as well, taking no one's side but hers. With a fierce cry of determination and with the help of her training, the brunette placed a well-aimed kick at Kadaj's ribs. The teen reeled back in pain but recovered instantly as he blocked a blow from Cloud's sword. Glancing around, he hurled a jar of whatnot at Cloud.

"I'm calling for backup!" Shin-Ra yelled over the noise and Cloud nodded once. Kadaj growled.

He was alone. Sure he could take Reno and Rude easily, but not all of them all at once. Rude was still unconscious after being dealt with and Reno was still tied, but it was only a matter of time before the Turk would manage to escape. Where were Yazoo and Loz?

With quick accuracy, the Remnant slashed a blow against Ria's side, drawing quite a lot of blood as she fell on the bleach tiled floors. Kadaj glanced at her and felt some of the pain transferring to him, but he ignored it. He didn't care. She did nothing but slow them down. He had been wrong to want her help. He might as well just end her life now.

He turned back to Cloud and noticed for the first time, the condition of the lab. It was messy now, like a hurricane had jumbled the inside. Shin-Ra was gone, and the Turks, Cloud, and Kadaj were alone. With a chuckle, Kadaj leaped and dismantled the fluorescent lights on the ceiling with a swipe of his Souba. Cloud dodged out of the way just in time, but didn't see the well aimed uppercut the younger opponent dealt on him.

Cloud grunted and growled at the pain searing on his jaw. He stumbled back a step and recovered his footing, still clutching his aching jaw. At that moment, a gunshot was heard and the blonde barely missed the bullet that had grazed his shoulder, drawing a bit of dark blood.

"Yazoo!" Kadaj yelled in recognition.

Yazoo had proven to be a good distraction for Cloud, and the ex-SOLDIER promptly hit the younger Remnant's head with the flat of his sword.

"S***!" Kadaj cursed and fell to the floor in utter shock.

Cloud prepared to deliver a death blow, but a blur of blue motion was suddenly visible, and Cloud was thrown back to the opposite wall by a swift Loz. The blonde gingerly rubbed the back of his head, and baring his teeth in frustration, rose to his feet while gripping his wounded shoulder. The fighters' heads snapped to the lab's entrance where the sound of more than a dozen footsteps can be heard.

Kadaj quickly made a check on Cloud's condition from his distance. He won't be able to follow them now. He'd been beaten badly, and he's still weak from Geostigma. Reno was still struggling against his bonds. They'd have to go now.

"Do we fight 'til we've killed them all or should we retreat?" Yazoo asked calmly.

"I don't like it, but we need to retreat for now. Let's go!"

Without another word, the Remnants left the lab through a hole in the wall, with Ria slung over Loz's shoulder.

"What do we do with her?" Loz asked once they were in their parked motorcycles.

"I'll make sure she doesn't remember a thing. We need to make a little stop to a private sector in town. I'll dispose of her there."

Yazoo frowned at Kadaj's order, but he didn't question. With one look at Ria's battered form, and wounded side, the middle Remnant sighed.

'_Sorry Ria. I can't exactly disobey Kadaj and his orders. This is goodbye._'

* * *

**A/N: Not only did I made Cloud gullible in chapter 11, I turned him into an insensitive dumbass in this chapter. Or maybe that's just me. Tell me what you think. I really think I turned him into an insensitive dumbass. I'm so sorry. I also apologize if some of our beloved FFVII characters are OOC in this fic. The story kind of demands it.**


	15. Chapter 14: Intervention

**Chapter 14: Intervention**

**Normal POV**

Kadaj and his brothers had been riding for quite a long time. The siblings were quiet, and for once, Yazoo let Kadaj speed ahead. He knew his little brother was frustrated with the events that had taken place that morning. It was noon now and the sun beat harshly on the barren land they were driving through. The crazy heat waves made everything seem to sway on the spot, but the Remnants didn't mind. In fact, they were unaffected by it. Yazoo looked down at the limp and faint girl lying in his arms as he maneuvered the bike around some jagged rocks.

Loz began speeding too, and Yazoo caught up just as quickly. Fifteen minutes later, they had passed the barren land and finally reached a small village Yazoo had never been to before. Surely Kadaj had. How else would he know of the place?

The residents of the village were quiet people, but Yazoo could easily tell they were a little suspicious of their showing up there at such short notice. Kadaj seemed unfazed as he raced through the narrow streets.

The Remnant leader smirked upon seeing the large abandoned structure that loomed above him. The reactor was old and dilapidated, and it would be the perfect spot to leave the dead girl's body, and no one would find it. No one would be looking for her anyway.

Kadaj stopped his bike and cut the engine. He dismounted quickly and was looking up at the large hunk of metal when his two older brothers had made their presence known. Loz and Yazoo came to stand beside him.

"Where's the girl?" Kadaj asked with pursed lips.

"On my bike," Yazoo replied nonchalantly.

"Go get her and follow me."

Yazoo rushed over and carried Ria's limp form in his arms. For once, he paid attention to her features. Her shirt caked with dried blood was impossible to miss. She was still breathing but not for long. Kadaj was going to kill her, and the Remnant leader was sure about his decision this time. Yazoo knew Kadaj wouldn't feel one teeny bit of remorse.

Kadaj walked ahead with silent thoughts churning endlessly in his head. Traitors deserved to die, and he was going to take her life. He just had to find the perfect spot to leave her corpse once he was done. His boots made soft clicking noises as he trotted across the cemented grounds. Shin-Ra abandoned this place years ago when the Mako reactors were shut down.

The youngest Remnant stopped in front of a little shed the size of a portable toilet. He blinked neutrally. It was the perfect spot to hide her body. If nobody came exploring here, then her body would decay first before other people begin scavenging for scrap. They wouldn't even recognize her anymore, because he was going to make sure she would be utterly unrecognizable.

"Yazoo, bring the girl over here." He ordered.

Yazoo did as he was told and quite reluctantly placed the girl inside the narrow shed. Loz stared at his two brothers who were getting ready to dispose the girl. Such scenes like this weren't odd—to him that is. Kadaj always disposed of people he didn't like.

Kadaj drew his sword, but before delivering the death blow that would stop her pulse, he knelt down and checked the wound he had slashed on her. The blood had dried, and her body was bruised. Her arm was mangled. That proved to be substantially painful. She'd just complain and give herself hell if she even lived. Kadaj sighed.

'_Time to die Ria. Like I promised you. You won't have to worry about your little private investigation. I'm finally done with you. You have proven yourself of little use to me._' Kadaj smirked at his thoughts.

He raised his sword and delivered a swift blow, but when the blades were a breath away from coming into contact with her cracked skin, the Remnant leader stumble back and let out a sharp cry of pain. Yazoo and Loz rushed over to their screaming brother who was clutching his head, rolling in the dirt. Kadaj was hissing like crazy, and his pupils were vertical slits, his eyes showing agony.

'_You cannot kill her yet, my son. She's important for the task I have for you. I want her alive for the Reunion.'_

'_Mother?' _

'_Keep her alive for a little longer my son.' _Jenova commanded in a stern tone.

'_But she's slowing us down.' _Kadaj protested childishly.

'_You're going to bring my other son back, and I want it done quickly. I know what I'm doing.' _Jenova scolded, but the Remnant wasn't ready to calm down yet.

'_She has been nothing but trouble!'_

'_Do _not _disobey me!'_

Kadaj was silent for a while before speaking: _'Yes, Mother.'_

He complied reverently, and the Remnant leader blacked out.

vVvVv

Yazoo and Loz watched as their younger brother's eyes slipped closed. They knew Mother just spoke to him, because they had felt her presence too. Yazoo sighed deeply, and knelt down next to Kadaj. The marksman gently tapped Kadaj's cheek a few times.

The Remnant's eyes snapped open, and he bolted upright, walking swiftly to the girl that was still hauled up inside the narrow shed. He took her and carried her in his arms as he made his way back to his motorbike.

"What did Mother say Kadaj?" Loz asked, eyes shining with hope, like a little kid expecting some candy.

"We bring her back. We can't kill her. Not yet. Mother wants her alive for Reunion." Kadaj explained, gesturing with his head to the weak girl in his arms.

"Why?" Yazoo piped up from his left.

Kadaj shook his head. "I'm not sure. I don't get it either. Why would Mother want _her_?"

"Don't talk like that Kadaj. She's special," Yazoo chided, earning a look from Loz and a scowl from Kadaj.

"In your head," the Remnant leader mumbled.

"I think you're applying painful pressure on her wound," Yazoo interjected, and this time, Kadaj didn't hesitate to shoot him a glare. "I'm serious. Mother wants her alive. You have to keep her alive."

Kadaj stopped walking. "Fine. Since you're so worried about her, why don't you carry her yourself?"

The Remnant leader harshly plopped Ria in Yazoo's arms where her head lolled off unsteadily to the side. Yazoo jerked her back gently, lying her head comfortably against his chest. Kadaj rolled his eyes as he watched Yazoo walk ahead.

Loz walked in step with Kadaj.

"What are _you _looking at?"

"Are you jealous?"

"Jealous of what?" Kadaj snapped.

"Yazoo. And that girl."

"Why would I be jealous?"

"Awww. Our little brother is growing up. You're finally paying attention to a female." Loz crooned happily as he tousled Kadaj's hair. "And you're getting jealous too."

Kadaj snorted as he batted Loz's hand away. "She's human Loz." Kadaj looked at the eldest of the Remnants. "Gross."

"I'll bet 500 Gil that one of these days, I'll catch you making out with her!" Loz suggested cheerfully, an impish grin on his face.

Kadaj grinned evilly. "You're on. I have no suspicions of losing."

"Deal!"

Loz clapped Kadaj's shoulder and the two silently walked to their bikes. They mounted and drove back the long way to base.

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

_Man, my head hurts like crazy! _I open my eyes and find myself in a familiar place. Why am I not surprised that I'm back in Kadaj's spartanly decorated room? And my head hurts! I need a pain killer! Stat! _Damn that hurt! _I sit up and find that my head pounds even more, so I lie back gently on the pillows. I twist uncomfortably, and a searing pain on my side hits me. A hiss of pain escapes my lips, and I throw the sheets away, and find my side bandaged heavily.

_Kadaj cut me with his sword! _I was back in Shin-Ra's lab yesterday. _Wait! Yesterday?!_ I reach absentmindedly for my phone on the desktop, and I groan in frustration. I'm used to living in my apartment with my phone perched on the small dresser drawer next to my bed. I think I'm forgetting that this isn't my room.

But why am I still alive? I thought Kadaj wanted to dispose of me for good. So why am I still alive? And Cloud. What happened to him? Before I could react though, the door opens, and Yazoo walks in.

"You're awake," he softly states in a tone I don't understand.

"How long have I been unconscious?" I ask, and Yazoo comes over to the bed and sits on the edge as he takes my hand.

"Three days. Lots of things happen in three days."

"Did you guys find Jenova?" I ask out of pure curiosity, and to my surprise, Yazoo laughs.

"If we did, all of us wouldn't be here anymore."

I'm confused, but I answer anyway. With one word. "Oh."

"How are you feeling?" A frown creases Yazoo's forehead.

"Like I've been through a lot," I reply vaguely.

He moves his hand and caresses my cheek. I could blush right now, but it seems my bodily reactions don't function properly these days. I just stare at him as he pulls his hand back and looks at me with obvious pity in his eyes.

"You were hurt," he says.

_Well I'll say. Gee thanks for the remark Yazoo. I didn't know I'm hurt. With these double slashes caused by your brother's sword? Oh no! I'm not hurt, I feel great that my side's killing me._

Instead of the sarcastic reply running through my head, I answer him with:

"Yeah. Could you leave me alone for a moment? I need to think."

"Of course." I can tell he means it but his jaw clenched at the same time like he's grounding his teeth together.

I watch as he stands up and walks over to the door. Without turning around to face me, he says in that same sultry voice of his.

"Just so you know. I came up here to check on you. Kadaj told me to do so. Come down when you're ready. I think he wants to talk to you."

The door softly clicked, and I listen until Yazoo's footsteps fade from earshot. Well, it looks to me like he's not even bothering to be quiet. Usually, all of them are pretty noiseless except when they argue. And Kadaj for one isn't a quiet person to argue with.

I sigh, and lay my head back gently against the pillows. I feel so sore and tender. My body hurts all over. Why did Kadaj allow me to live?


	16. Chapter 15: Strategy

**Chapter 15: Strategy**

**Deliria's POV**

He said to come down when I'm ready. Well, after three hours of moping around in his room and staring at the ceiling to the point where I get cross-eyed, I slowly stood up and trudged downstairs where I see him sitting motionlessly on one of the chairs perched near the counter.

I know it's not the best way to start a conversation, but I do it anyways:

"Where's Yazoo and Loz?"

"Out..." I frown, and take steps toward him only to see him sipping some liquor from a glass.

"You drink?" He didn't answer my question. "I thought minors weren't allowed to get their hands on booze."

I'm not surprised to see him drinking. After all, he's the leader, and without parental supervision, I don't think it's a big deal on his part. He turns to me, and smirks.

"In your head, Ria..."

Silence consumed the space between us, as he continues drinking, and I stare at the amber liquid being swirled around in the glass. He picks it up and holds the object at eye level and begins swirling the contents around.

"I wanna talk to you about something..." He starts, and I nod once as I take a seat on one of the tall stools. I inch far from him. (I don't really want to get that close. You understand.)

"Are you drunk?" I ask, and he shakes his head. "You stink of booze."

"That's 'cause I'm drinking, dimwit." He replied in a nearly-slurred tone. His speech is still fine, so I guess I'm not in any danger.

"Does it really require insulting my intelligence every time I talk to you?"

He grinned. "Yes." He takes another sip of his drink. "You're lucky, you know that?" I just stare at him with wide eyes. _Why am I lucky? _"I had your death planned out already. And I don't know why Mother wants you alive until Reunion is accomplished. I don't like it, because you're simple as slowing us down, and whatever she has in mind, I'm not the type of son to disobey her. You're going to help us find Mother from now on."

I watch as Kadaj downs the stuff in one shot, and grabs a hold of the whisky bottle and pours the amber liquid into the glass, filling it to the brim. Is he really serious? Jenova wants me alive, so he didn't kill me... but he was about to. That makes perfect sense on why I was out cold for three days. He probably knocked my head all around. He says I'm lucky because Jenova wants me alive, but you know what? I think I'm lucky because I'm not suffering from all around brain damage. Yet.

"Took it in already, or are you just going to stare at me for eternity?" His voice cut through my thoughts, and I feel kind of disorientated as I shake my head to clear the churning in my mind. I think I'm suffering from mental indigestion.

"Me? Help you find _her_?"

"Refer to her as Mother! If you're going to be a part of Reunion, it means she's taken you in into her family!" Kadaj scolds, but I roll my eyes anyway.

"She's an _alien_, Kadaj. Have you seen those kids you kidnapped?! They're all suffering because of that disease she inflicted on them!" I yell in outrage.

Kadaj slams the butt of the drinking glass on the counter and the liquor spills instantly, splashing some on my cheeks.

"I WILL NOT HAVE YOU SAY SUCH THINGS!" Okay, now I'm scared. "They only share Mother's cells. You will NEVER understand that because you aren't one of us in the first place!" He snaps. My side's starting to kill me now. "That's why I don't get why Mother suddenly wants you finding her!"

"Then why take me in?" I say, trying to force as much aloofness into my voice, just to hide the face that he's starting to scare me.

"Because she said so. I can't disobey her."

"I don't ***king care okay?! All I want is to live my own life and start over after how you ruined my previous one!"

He jeers at me; his eyes flashed malice at the reaction I have gotten after he says those things to me. I wince. _It really really hurts. _

"And thanks for giving me these twin slashes. I appreciate it, really," I stand up after I blurt out those sarcastic words.

"Glad you liked it!" He calls after me, and I scowl.

Kadaj has a messed up life too—maybe worse than mine—but that isn't the reason for some people to get all bossy, and think they're better than anyone else—or in his case, a much more superior race than the natural human ones. Not to say that I pity him or anything, I'm just wondering if there's still a shred of humanity left in him. He'd believe it or not, he's human too… All of them, including Yazoo.

For his and his brothers' sake, I hope someday they'd realize that all Jenova really wants is the planet and Sephiroth back. She's just treating her other 'sons' as marionettes to get what she wants. Kadaj has to see the light soon before it's too late for all of them. Yazoo's beginning to, and I don't know about Loz. I wonder what kind of lies has she been filling Kadaj's head that made him really believe her and follow her. He's obsessed—that much is obvious. He's devoted to her: his time, his attention. He lives for her too. He has to realize that there's more to him than just being a puppet for a crazed alien. He has to have a life. Someone's got to make him see that, and I know it ain't gonna be me.

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

(Next Morning)

"Mother thinks our progress is too slow. We have to work fast, and find her if we want Reunion completed already," Kadaj ranted as he paced in front of his brothers who were waiting for his orders. "Let's go to the city. Yazoo, take the kids. I want you and Loz to try and pull down that damn monument in Midgar."

His brothers nodded once and headed outside to get their bikes. Ria watched as Kadaj stared emptily out the open window. Ria was going to really help them find Mother now, and he had to think of something for her to do. He just can't bear to have her slacking around while he and his brothers did the work. Equal distribution of the job is what's needed.

"You're coming with me," he droned, grabbing her arm as they left the house.

"Where to?"

"Meet that Shin-Ra guy. He's hiding Mother and I'm sure of it."

vVvVv

The ride to Midgar was spent in silence and Ria holding on to Kadaj for dear life. Well, she couldn't do anything about it now, could she? He was going to get Mother back by all means and there was nothing stopping him. Kadaj's determination flared around him like an alter ego that isn't easily told to go suck it up.

They met with Yazoo and Loz in a dark alley. Ria got off first, but Kadaj remained on his seat.

"The kids?" Kadaj asked with a wary expression.

"Back of the truck, and ready," Yazoo replied, jerking his head towards the vehicle where the abducted children were.

"You know the plan, right?" Kadaj inquired, making sure that they knew so they wouldn't mess up.

Yazoo and Loz both nodded in agreement. At this, Kadaj motioned for them to go. Loz started his way to the truck, but Yazoo stayed a while and glanced at Ria who was silent and contemplating. He stepped closer to her, and Kadaj just stared emotionlessly at the two.

Yazoo stepped right in Ria's face, placing a hand at the back of her head as he stroked her hair even though it was tied back in a braid. "Hey. You be careful, okay? Whatever Kadaj tells you to do, just make sure you're doing it right? And... you'd better watch that cut of yours." Yazoo whispered close to her ear.

Ria looked up at him gratefully, and flashed him a small smile. "Thank you Yazoo. I will."

Yazoo returned her smile, and kissed her forehead, eyeing Kadaj as he did. His little brother met his gaze quite sternly, but said nothing. Yazoo returned his attention back to the girl who embraced him briefly, and leaned his forehead against hers. The wind rustling his long silver locks brushed her cheeks lightly.

Even if Yazoo had been insensitive that day, she couldn't blame him. He was overridden with emotion towards her, and she understood that now. She cared about him now too—as a friend, but possibly even more. She was still confused on that matter, and wasn't given the chance to ponder on it. Yazoo had already pulled away, running his fingers down her arm, and he walked away from her when his gloved fingers reached the base of her wrist.

Kadaj watched with silent fascination as some of Ria's emotions began filtering through his head. She was overall confused and was thinking that Yazoo was kind of sweet. Kadaj smirked, and waited until his brothers had disappeared from sight. He turned to Ria.

"I want you to wait for me, until I get back. Things are going to be deadly today, and I want you to stay in one place. Mother wants you alive, so I'm putting you in backup. I'm sure you can handle it. You're a Shin-Ra Agent." Kadaj explained and eyed her cautiously, taking into consideration the injury he had inflicted on her. Ria nodded and got on behind him to fulfill Kadaj's mission, and it was Ria's chance to stop him once and for all.

vVvVv

Ria took her position far from the monument, but close enough to see where Kadaj would kick his plan into action. He said he was going to force the answer out of the president, and he was finally going to be with Mother. She stood rooted to her spot, clutching her side that caused her pain now and then. The city seemed quiet, a deception of what was to come upon them—a calm before the storm.

From her place, she watched as Yazoo and Loz positioned the kids around the monument, like dazed little robots waiting for the right buttons to be pushed. People—specifically parents—began gathering bit by bit near the monument. And not too soon as the brothers had arrived, the crowd of onlookers and parents started to thicken as a chorus of shouts and indignant protests were heard from every direction.

Without even knowing it, Ria had smirked at the commotion before her. She wasn't that sure, but Yazoo looked extremely pissed. Loz looked unsure of what to carry out. She looked up. Kadaj wasn't up there yet. But he would be soon.

She turned her attention back to whatever was happening at the central attraction. Yazoo raised his hand and made a stop sign at the crowd. Everyone fell silent as the suspense built up, and that was it. Ria gasped when a horrid black creature appeared from the ground and attacked the crowd. She soon recognized them as shadow creepers Yazoo had summoned from the Lifestream.

'_Gaia, that wasn't even necessary,_' Ria thought as she backed away from the open space.

She just so happened to look up and see Kadaj with the president at the highest floor of the building. She watched as the Remnant leader surveyed the morbid scene happening in the city of Midgar below. With silent satisfaction, Kadaj began claiming about quiet victory that awaited him.

vVvVv

"I know you're hiding her. So where is she?" Kadaj demanded, his back turned to the company's president; not the least bit worried that the man would push him over the edge, tumbling down from a building to his death.

Rufus let a chuckle escape his lips. "What exactly do you mean?" He asked innocently.

This insolent answer set Kadaj on edge on how the man was feigning innocence. The Remnant growled lowly as he watched the light on his arm caused by the Materia glowed even brighter.

"You're lying to me," Kadaj explained calmly.

"I'm being perfectly honest with you," Rufus insisted, a hand tucked into one of his pants' pockets with a confident smile on his lips.

"Is that right?"

"I swear it."

Kadaj smirked cruelly. "Then this meeting is pointless then. I came here to demand that you handover Mother to me."

"How can I give you something when I don't even have it," Rufus shot back using the same unfazed tone the silver-haired teen was using.

"Oh, but sir, I know you know where Mother is." Kadaj turned around to face the president, anger flashing in his serpentine eyes.

"Jenova is long gone, and we don't intend any connections with her," Rufus explained, but Kadaj didn't buy it.

"Then so be it." Kadaj agreed with sadistic fire in his eyes. "All this coming from the man who intends to revive Sephiroth and use him against their own creations."

"Why would I want Sephiroth back? The nightmare has died and will surely never come back to life ever again." Rufus reasoned.

"It all makes sense. Sephiroth's the only being capable of taking us out single-handedly. If you're claiming you don't want him back, then what's this for?" Kadaj produced a creased paper that had been folded and refolded countless times.

He handed it to Shin-Ra and watched as the man's eyes spoke turmoil within him. The teen was overjoyed. He had hit the bull's eye.

"Where did you get this?" Rufus inquired quite gently, not wanting to give Kadaj the slightest idea that he was intimidated.

"From one of your pets. Where else?" The Remnant smirked at the frustration now marring the president's calm and collected demeanor. Deep inside, Kadaj sensed his enemy panicking; trying to find a way out of the trap Kadaj had launched on him.

"This is nothing," Rufus refolded the piece of paper and handed it back to Kadaj. "We have commenced an investigation on Sephiroth's wake. We found nothing, and tried minor precautionary measures if it was possible to bring him back. Turns out, only a clone can be produced. Nonetheless, I know the information's useless to you."

"Please sir. Is that your excuse for going after Mother yourself?" Kadaj demanded sharply. "You don't seem all that sorry," he accused.

"Sorry? Why, I've never had this much fun."

"Good. Then let's put an end to all this," Kadaj smirked as he brought his arm up, and shot it through the sky. The blue energy force shot to the blue expanse with a thunderous noise that made people wonder.

vVvVv

Ria looked up at the sky just in time to see the giant hideous creature that swooped down on the city. Kadaj had summoned that thing?

'_This is _not _good,_' Ria thought frantically as she sought out for a better place to keep herself safe, like what Yazoo told her to do.


	17. Chapter 16: Failure

**Chapter 16: Failure**

**Normal POV**

Amidst the panicked and petrified crowd, Ria still managed to catch sight of Tifa. The barmaid wasn't _that _hard to miss, considering as she was running from the opposite direction. Instead of from the monument, she was running towards it, and Ria knew why. Denzel was among the kids Kadaj and his brothers had abducted—one of the kids who 'shared Mother's cells' as Kadaj would say.

The brunette looked up and had enough time to gasp at the size of the creature terrorizing the city. She watched as it came down and tore the monument apart, causing the structure to go up in flames.

One by one, AVALANCHE began arriving at the scene. They all fought the Bahamut and the shadow creepers for a while, until Cloud's motorcycle revved up to the scene. Distracted by whatever was happening outside of her little protective circle, of course she didn't notice it when a chunk of metal was hurled her way.

Ria collided with the concrete ground, eliciting a pain filled hiss. The bandaged cuts on her side began ravaging her body with pain, a burning sensation being pressed there. Looking down to confirm her suspicions, she had been right. Dark red bloomed against the gauze that was supposed to protect her injured side. It was bleeding again. She cursed, and as pathetic as her idea was, Ria crumpled to the side of dirt caked wall, and stayed still, and hoped the bleeding would stop.

vVvVv

Screams were heard everywhere. The side of the alley she was in was closed, and she just wished a medic escaping would catch sight of her and treat her already. The pain was becoming unbearable. Movement caught in her peripheral vision, and she looked up to see a giant blue field of energy being hurled down, and worse, something human was on its way to stop it.

'_Is that Cloud?_' Ria thought, and kept watching as he disappeared through the ball of blue fire, and the next thing seen was the creature falling from a good hundred feet from the skyline. The damage was going to be big.

Ria wished she could go out and see what was happening, but she couldn't even move. She longed to scream for any source of help, but found it useless in her hauled up position.

'_Yazoo, where _are_ you?_'

vVvVv

Yazoo stood a good ways away from the two crumpling Turks on the ground. They weren't injured, just exhausted. How long was Kadaj taking to get Mother? Yazoo wasn't tired of waiting, he was just on edge. Something felt off, and perfectly abnormal. He was hoping Ria was alright. Hoping that she hadn't been injured. That cut on her side was hell enough for her. Frankly, the middle Remnant had no idea why he felt that way toward her in the first place. Of course, Yazoo knows that he has feelings for her, but why? Of all the girls in the planet, why her? There's something special about her that made him want to protect her all the time. Though, Yazoo would still be worried because it was starting to look like he was in for some competition with Kadaj regarding the girl.

Kadaj wouldn't admit it, but Yazoo wasn't stupid. He sees the looks the Remnant leader would give him whenever he was standing so close to her. And that time when Yazoo kissed her in the Forgotten City, Kadaj had interrupted the moment, and he didn't look very happy. In fact, the middle Remnant had gone so far as to crossing the line. He asked Kadaj once about it, and his little brother gave him a look that belonged to the disgusted category. Yeah, Kadaj was superbly denying it. And earlier, when he kissed Ria's forehead just before the events that had surpassed, Kadaj was there too. He appeared that he didn't mind, but really, Yazoo could see deeper emotions lodged in the youngest Remnants cold eyes.

Honestly, Yazoo doesn't want a rift between him and the younger brother. He cared about Kadaj, but he loved Ria too, and that was something Kadaj should be able to understand. Ria has feelings for him—though unsure—he could see it in her eyes. She was still confused, he understood that, and he wouldn't rush her. Love didn't need to be rushed.

"What do you think's taking Kadaj so long?" Loz asked, interrupting the chain of thoughts going through Yazoo's head.

"I don't know," Yazoo replied, shaking his head at the same time.

He and Loz were passing by a dark alley, and Yazoo caught slight movement. Stopping in his tracks to investigate, Yazoo entered the dimly lit alley, and his vision instantly focused on the brunette who had her head hanging, a hand across her stomach, clutching her side.

Alert now more than ever, Yazoo rushed to her rescue.

"Ria?"

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

I slowly open my eyes at the sound of his voice. I was at the door of unconsciousness, and wouldn't be long before I bled to death. The blood had managed to seep through the gauze, and I can feel it streaking down to linger against the waistband of my black jeans.

"Y-Yazoo?" I manage.

_Is that a smile on his face?_

"Yeah. It's me. C'mon... Let's get you somewhere safe."

An arm slid under my knees, and another one at my back. I'm being lifted, and I know I'm safe in his arms—for now. I can feel him carrying me somewhere, but I'm not exactly sure. Yazoo cares about me this much? I can't believe any that any of this is happening either. I let my eyes slip close as I feel myself being lowered into a lumpy seat.

"Loz, give me the first aid kit in the passenger seat," I can hear Yazoo conducting orders. He's very calm; or rather he should think that way to avoid panic.

Slight shuffling noise. Yazoo has a gentle grip on my arm, and seconds later, I feel the weight of the appendage on my stomach being lifted with ease.

"Ria, I need you to roll over on your side, so I can treat the cuts." Yazoo's voice rings through my ears with quiet urgency.

I obligingly take heed of his orders, and I let him do his work. Fresh blood trickles down my back once the layers of gauze have been removed, and I can feel Yazoo's gloved fingers moving steadily, fingering the outline of the jagged line that had been caused by Kadaj's sword.

"That bad?" I manage to croak out. There's a long moment of silence, before Yazoo answers.

"To be honest, yes." _That isn't good news. _"Hold still... This is going to sting."

Before I can react, I writhe to the side at the feel of the cold chemical seeping through my double cuts. I whimper, and I'm sure Yazoo is looking at me apologetically. _What _is _that? Some kind of strong disinfectant? It's much more strong than the usual ones._

"I'm sorry," I hear him whisper, and through my hazy vision, I can see where Yazoo's hand is. It's on the empty space next to me; I reach out and feel the smooth leather gloves beneath my skin.

I close my eyes again, and I let him continue. Minutes of cleaning, dabbing, and painful endurance, is leaving me numb, but I can handle it. And I'm glad once I feel the soft weight of the wraps and the gauze being used to cover my wound.

I try to open my eyes, and once they're where I want them, they stayed that way. Yazoo was looking at me sympathetically, and I return his gaze with a questioning one. It's the first time in moments that I take in my surroundings. I'm in a truck. Yazoo's fingers touch my forehead, grazing stray strands of hair from my forehead. I'm pretty sure the top of my head already looks like a bird's nest. He smiles at me, and I return the gesture.

"What happened to her?" A voice demands from behind Yazoo.

Yazoo whirls around and from the space my eyes could take it in, Kadaj stood there, his weapon gripped tightly in his left hand.

"Bleeding again," Yazoo states bluntly. _Thank, Gaia._

"Where's Mother?" Another voice cuts through the noise the chaos is causing in the city streets. _Loz?_

And that's it. The brothers walk a good metric distance away from the truck; away from my hearing distance. _Damn it! _I would've gotten to my feet if it weren't from these stupid cuts that limit my movement. No thanks to Kadaj for this. Somehow, I just feel that I have a right to hear what they're talking about. On the contrary, I'm already having a victory party in my head. _Jenova isn't with Shin-Ra!_ _Yey!_

The bad news? How long is it going to take me to stop them, to make them give up their pointless search? Nothing good is going to come out of this, and if Cloud won't listen to me, then I'm taking matters into my own hands.

**Normal POV**

"We were wrong. Shin-Ra doesn't have her," Kadaj spoke through his teeth in frustration.

"Are you sure?" Yazoo inquired just as quietly.

"Of course I am. I nearly killed him!" The Remnant leader seethed.

Loz of course, chose this moment to start crying over not finding Mother, earning him a death glare from Kadaj.

"There's no point in crying Loz." Kadaj glanced back at the street where people were starting to calm down from the chaos brought about by the brothers. Kadaj growled. "I can't fail. We have to find her. Shin-Ra doesn't have her, so where do we look now?"

Nobody answered.

Kadaj huffed impatiently. "This is getting old. Let's go!"

The youngest started heading towards his motorbike parked near the truck.

"Where are we going?" Loz interjected childishly.

"To the Northern Crater. I just have a haunch, and I intend to follow it," Kadaj explained, and Loz nodded. "Yazoo, get the girl."

Yazoo looked perplexed upon hearing this. Didn't Kadaj realize that Ria was in no condition to travel by motorbike?

"Kadaj, she's not in the best of conditions to-"

"I don't care," Kadaj interrupted Yazoo before the middle Remnant could finish, and the leader promptly mounted his bike and started the engine.

Yazoo sighed, and walked over to where Ria was lying. He couldn't help feeling a twinge of pity for the girl. She had been through so much, and Kadaj was being an insensitive ass. But Yazoo understood why. Finding Mother was important—not just to Kadaj—but to all of them.

"C'mon Ria. We have to go." Yazoo lifted her into his arms.

"W-Where are we going?" She stuttered.

"We're going to the Northern Crater. It's going to be a long drive, but you can always loll off on my shoulder if you feel like it, okay?"

She nodded once, and the Remnant knew it was a yes. Kadaj was waiting for them impatiently, and Loz was bouncing up and down on the seat of his bike, ready to find Mother. Kadaj watched with silent jealousy as Yazoo mounted the brunette on his motorcycle first, and then Yazoo took the seat behind her.

"Hurry up if you don't want Cloud and his friends to stop us," the Remnant leader spoke through gritted teeth before speeding out of the parking space.


	18. Chapter 17: Mother

**Chapter 17: Mother **

**Normal POV**

Nightfall had fallen when they got to the Northern Crater. Kadaj wasted no time in finding a cave for them to stay for the night, and immediately urged—or more like bullied—them all to hurry up. The sooner they found Mother, the better.

Ria had never been to the Northern Crater before, but of course, it was general knowledge that Jenova had fallen there some two thousand years ago. She wasn't the least bit surprised at the treks before them. Kadaj wasted no time, and started going on foot. And the higher, they got, the steeper the climb became. The ground was moist and slippery from the thick mist and moisture enveloping the half top of the titanic crater. The Remnants had no problem regarding climbing, but from training and constant missions on traveling and following Sephiroth, she had had enough practice to go on a trail like this one. She kept up with them, and can easily see that Loz was having a hard time with his footing.

She couldn't blame him. Being the biggest and the oldest of the three, he was sure to be the heaviest. Yazoo and Kadaj were having it off easy. She blinked, noticing the resemblance of the brothers' gaits. Kadaj and Yazoo moved like ghosts—almost floating. It should be a trick of the wind, and the fact that Ria felt cold too. The farther up they went, the ground became even soggier. She was purposefully going at Loz's pace, not wanting to be anywhere near Kadaj and Yazoo who were moving nimbly to the top.

After long moments of climbing, all of them reached the top. The brothers looked invisible in the dark and she wouldn't even recognize them if it weren't for the silver hair and pale white skin. But it seemed, going up was a lot easier than going down. The terrain was dangerous, and Ria was pent up worried about her vulnerable side.

Loz opted to sliding all the way down. Yazoo and Kadaj were more cautious, and Ria, was taking precautions to the extreme. However, not everything goes as planned, she slipped on a loose wet boulder, and ended up landing on the rough moist dirt on her rear, and sliding painfully until she collided with Kadaj. The Remnant leader wasn't given time to react because they were hurtling towards the bottom in a fast pace.

Yazoo smirked amusedly at the scene once he got to the black bottom. It was nearly impossible to see, but the three pairs of glowing Mako eyes served as minimal sources of light for the meantime. Kadaj growled upon realizing his position; tangled with Ria at the bottom.

"Well, that certainly gives a whole new meaning for fall," Kadaj smirked and struggled to untangle himself from her, not being able to tear his eyes away from the shocked, and embarrassed reaction he had earned from the girl.

Yazoo held out a hand to Ria who took it gratefully, and pulled herself to her feet. Kadaj glared at his older brother. Ria couldn't see, but the Remnants could—as plain as day.

"You'd help her up, but you won't help me!" Kadaj whined at him.

"You're old enough to take care of yourself," Yazoo stated in a calm tone.

"She's as old as I am," Kadaj protested some more, losing the hint of being the leader for a moment.

"Let's start looking for Mother," Yazoo huffed.

Ria hurried to catch up with the middle Remnant, afraid to be left alone in a gloomy place.

"Somebody's jealous," Loz crooned upon seeing the icy glare Kadaj directed at Yazoo's back.

"Shut up Loz," Kadaj snapped quietly, flicking his older brother's forehead in the process, and quickly rejoined the party up front.

vVvVv

"None of you had the initiative of bringing a flashlight, huh?" Ria complained for the fifteenth time, and Kadaj was getting tired of it.

Growling in frustration, he shifted to empty air and quickly came up behind her. Ria stiffened at the colder air sneaking behind her back, and somehow had suspicions that this wasn't plain winter air.

"K-Kadaj, is that... you?" She mumbled.

"You know, I'm getting tired of your complaining," the Remnant whispered, his hot breath tickling her ear.

"Yeah, and I'm getting fed up of you sneaking up on me like this," Ria shot back.

"Kadaj, behave yourself," came Yazoo's voice from somewhere to the left.

Kadaj realized how pointless this distraction was, and so stopped. He took a deep breath, and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Mother, give me the strength not to kill her," Kadaj mumbled as he resumed his search.

Ria grumbled indifferences that were ignored, when a thought struck her mind.

"Hey Kadaj! If Jenova talks to you, why doesn't she tell you where she is now? I thought she wanted Sephiroth back as soon as possible."

It was meant to be an insult, and was taken that way. She couldn't see the reactions because of darkness, but she could easily feel Kadaj's anger flaring already. He had such a short temper.

"I don't know! And refer to her as Mother. We can't question her decisions Ria. Maybe she wants us to prove ourselves," the Remnant snapped at her. He was a bit far, and that was good.

"Prove ourselves, her ass!" The brunette muttered, not wanting Kadaj to hear the tirade of words that had escaped her mouth. "Well, if any of you thought of bringing a flashlight, maybe the search would've gone easier. And we wouldn't be all groping in the dark looking for some alien's friggin' head!"

"You meanie!" Loz bawled from somewhere in the crater, but Ria ignored him. Her words were meant on bending Kadaj's wrong belief.

Kadaj's hands balled into fists upon hearing the insult. "Shut up already!" He yelled, enough to cause a few unstable rocks to crumble on the ledge.

"If she didn't want you alive, I would've killed you that day!" He seethed. "So shut up and do your work! Oh, and if you want to know why none of us brought a flashlight, it's because we can see in the dark clearly."

Kadaj's outburst had aggravated her even more, and she had enough of his I'm-the-leader-obey-me-or-perish thoughts. Somebody had to knock some sense into him. And couldn't he see that Jenova was just controlling them? They were her tools to bring Sephiroth back, and no way was she going to let that happen.

"Well, sorry Mr. Genius. I think I forgot that I'm traveling with puppets that were genetically enhanced to thinking like crazed robots for some alien's whim on world domination!"

Yazoo stared as the two argued. Ria sure had a mouth full of insults. And she wasn't just insulting Kadaj, she was jeering at all of them. But what she said really made sense. All this time, they had been following nothing but Mother's orders. And come to think of it, Ria talks like a nerd or a space geek when she's infuriated. That thought hadn't even crossed his mind even when they were talking about outer space in the Forgotten City.

Yazoo noticed that his little brother looked like he was about to literally kill Ria. He knew what was holding Kadaj back—Mother's orders to keep her alive—because if there wasn't any reason, he might've decapitated her by now. Ria didn't know of course, because it was dark, and the air was thick with mist. But if there was light in this thing, she would be scared that's for sure. Kadaj didn't look happy now.

Ria breathed deeply in the wake of the words jabbed Kadaj's way. The next thing was a well-aimed fist that collided with her injured side. She stumbled back a few steps, knowing who had delivered the fatal blow that had her wounds bleeding all over again. They were probably bruised now too. This day couldn't get any worse.

"That should add more hell to your messed up life. There's more where that came from, so start looking for Mother!" Kadaj shoved her off to the side where she landed on a heap of rocks. She jerked her elbow backwards, and it slammed into something smooth and solid.

"OW!" She cried out, rubbing the sore spot.

Kadaj turned back to her and noticed for the first time, something smooth embedded into the rock formation. It wasn't rock, that's for sure. Yazoo and Loz immediately saw Kadaj's reaction and came over to him. And by then, the Remnant leader was kneeling next to the fallen Ria, brushing away the rocks and began digging.

An insane amount of luck had him grinning from ear to ear as he uncovered the object. It was a box, and Ria couldn't tear her eyes away from Kadaj's green ones. The pupils were automatically converted into vertical slits, like a snake's.

"Mother," he whispered reverently, holding the object close to his chest. "Let's get out of here."

Kadaj stood up and all but fled to the top. Yazoo helped her to her feet again, and she looked up at his happy eyes apologetically. She knew those rash comments hurt him too, but it was necessary. She cared about him; he had been nothing but nice to her all this time. He was happy. They found Mother at last, and Kadaj was more than ready for Reunion.

vVvVv

Back at the place where they planned on camping out, the Remnants made a fire as the three gathered around to get warm; Kadaj huddled into a corner near the mouth of the cave, isolating himself from the rest.

Ria watched. Kadaj seemed to be talking to himself. Maybe he was too happy.

He had found her. So he wasn't a failure after all. Reunion had finally come, and the time for Mother to change the planet had come. He knew now; knew without a doubt that Mother was proud of him. He achieved something Sephiroth hadn't been able to do, and that was saying something.

Slowly, Kadaj uncovered the box containing Mother, and they would be with her at last once the cells would enter his body. Mother's mimetic legacy would be reborn and they would be together—as a family. Lifting the lid reverently, what greeted him was not what he expected.


	19. Chapter 18: Talk

**Chapter 18: Talk**

**Normal POV**

Kadaj stared in disbelief at the scene that greeted him. He refused to believe it. He must be tired; he hadn't gotten much sleep lately, in wanting Reunion so badly. Kadaj stared at the empty box when all that remained was green gunk left behind as an insult if ever they found it.

"Mother..." Kadaj whimpered.

At the sound of his voice, the two other Remnants' heads shot up. Yazoo and Loz immediately ran to Kadaj's side, Ria followed behind sluggishly. The middle Remnant came to Kadaj's side only to see the tears welling up in his eyes, like a lost child.

"Mother!" He yelled in desperation and anguish.

He still had the empty box gripped tightly in both of his hands, and within moments, Ria flinched as the container that was supposed to host Jenova broke into tiny pieces. Was it that fragile? Or did Kadaj's strength increase because of all the adrenaline and rage fueling his body?

Ria expected him to go wild, probably start raving insane in finding out that Jenova's head had been destroyed, and Kadaj was left alone to mourn. Instead, his hands met the dirt in utmost surrender, and mourning.

"No wonder... I-I couldn't hear her anymore," Kadaj managed between sobs. Anger and rage building up as more tears began tracking down his cheeks. "They got here... b-before we did. We f-failed," he sobbed.

Yazoo touched Kadaj's shoulder but the Remnant leader shrugged him off harshly. Loz backed away in caution upon seeing the unkempt brutal and monstrous rage in Kadaj's eyes. He quickly turned on Ria who was in utter shock.

"This is your fault," Kadaj spoke in a calm and threatening tone. "I won't heed her orders anymore. She's dead, and there'll be no more Reunion now. I'LL KILL YOU!"

He rushed at her, his anger as he back-handed her across the face, sending the former Agent sprawling in the dirt.

"I would've killed you with my sword, but now I think I change my mind," the boy grinned cruelly—manically. "I want to take your life with my bare hands."

Insane laughter echoed off in the walls of the cave, and Ria crawled away from him desperately. This wasn't the best of events that could happen in her life. She silently cursed the fact that she was injured and could barely move if he delivered a blow that would crack her skull.

"Kadaj!" She heard the two older brothers yell in unison.

The youngest grabbed her braided hair, his eyes traveling over her form.

"Shame that such a decent young woman like you would have to die so soon." He grinned and punched her cheek, drawing blood.

Kadaj lifted her head and was about to slam it against the wall, when Loz's strong arms wrapped around him and brought him away from his victim.

"No! She deserves to die! She killed Mother! It's her fault Mother's dead!" Kadaj's voice had become ragged and raspy as he kicked and screamed and squirmed against Loz's grip, struggling to free himself to end her. "LET ME GO!"

"Sorry little brother," Loz whispered before Yazoo came up to Kadaj and knocked him out.

vVvVv

Ria curled up in her side, shivering at the events that took place moments before. Kadaj now lay in a sleeping bag Yazoo had laid out, but they weren't taking any chances, so the brothers tied their leader up.

"Is he going to be okay?" Ria whispered to Yazoo, though she had no clue why was she even concerned with Kadaj's condition.

Yazoo sighed. "He'll be fine." Gently, the middle Remnant brushed his fingers across Ria's cold cheeks, brushing against the thin scar that was left behind after Yazoo cleaned that wound. "The real question is are _you_ okay?"

"I don't know," Ria shook her head, her gaze wandering over to Kadaj's peaceful expression. "I don't understand. Why do you want her back so much? What's she done for you that made you want to help her?"

Yazoo was silent. He knew who she was talking about. In reality, he _had_ thought about Ria's questions long before she came into their search. What had Jenova ever done for them? They followed her like little obedient sons that lacked a family. Kadaj was the worst victim. Overtime, Yazoo had been realizing that there were so many people against Jenova. He had asked Kadaj regarding the matter only for the Remnant leader to question his loyalty to 'Mother'. According to Kadaj, Mother promised him that after Reunion, they would all be together as one family. But those children that 'share Mother's cells', were sick and weak. Yazoo had been observing these things without Kadaj's knowing, and it was starting to dawn on him that maybe they were just puppets. Come to think of it, Jenova wanted to destroy the planet where humanity resided, and he'd seen families. Parents loved their children, especially the Mothers. There was one time Kadaj suffered a terrible nightmare that his little brother couldn't sleep for days. Jenova had tormented him with that, and Yazoo was thinking about it. Did Mother really love them? Or was she just using them to bring Sephiroth back? That was the point of Reunion after all.

"For Reunion," Yazoo replied at last.

"And Reunion is for what? To bring Sephiroth back? The planet's suffered much _because _of him. Why would you want a nightmare back?" Ria asked, curiosity, setting her on edge.

"It's Mother's will," Yazoo whispered, nostalgic.

"Then she's not interested in you."

"What do you mean?" Yazoo asked.

"She wants her son back, and she's using you guys. Especially Kadaj since he's the most vulnerable, and unstable." Ria explained, crossing her fingers mentally when a contemplating look graced Yazoo's features.

"That _is _true," he agreed. '_Thank Gaia,_' Ria thought. "I've thought about it so many times. I've realized she's using us. Loz knows it too. We've tried telling this idea to Kadaj."

"Why didn't you?" Ria asked. She couldn't believe they surpassed the chance to make their brother see the truth. They had to wait for all this to happen; for an innocent civilian like her to get caught in the middle.

"We tried. He wouldn't listen. He told us that if we were willing to be traitors, Mother would kill us," Yazoo shrugged, taking Ria's hand and intertwining her fingers with his.

Ria let him, after all, it was really comforting. She looked at Kadaj who was still peacefully asleep, and then she turned back to Yazoo.

"But what can we do?" Yazoo looked sad. "He's our brother. We can't leave him."

Ria smiled. "You care about him this much, don't you?"

"Yeah." Yazoo was silent for a while. "We just hope that he'll realize it too. Someday."

vVvVv

Ria wasn't sure what woke her up in the middle of the night. Yazoo and Loz were asleep in a corner, far from her, and she didn't mind. What confused her right now were her feelings for Yazoo. She wasn't in love with him—maybe infatuated—but that's it. On the other hand, she realized she cared about Kadaj too—even if he _was_ a difficult person to get along with, and a real sadistic and brutal one for that matter. She'd recall that time he had broken her friendship with Cloud, to use her. She had cried that night about all the pain she was going through, and that was the only time he had ever been gentle with her. He didn't mention that incident anymore, but she knew he knew it.

And speaking of Kadaj. Ria pushed herself up a little bit to try and see around the dark cave. Yazoo and Loz had freed Kadaj from his bonds while the Remnant leader was still sleeping, so it surprised Ria to see that the teen was gone. Scanning the dark area, she glimpsed silver hair near at the mouth of the cave. Ignoring the burning feeling at her side, she quietly walked to where he was. She wanted to talk to him.

He was gazing up at the dark, but clear sky—surprising. Ria looked up too, and could see the beautiful night littered with stars.

"Hey. Do you mind if I sit next to you?" Ria whispered quite cautiously, still not trusting Kadaj's mental stability—even if he _had_ calmed down now.

Kadaj shook his bowed head in reply.

They were silent for a while, just listening to the wind, and watching the stars up in the night sky until Ria felt brave enough to start a conversation with him.

"I want to talk to you... about something."

"If it's how badly I failed, forget it..." Kadaj grumbled quietly.

"It's not that. It's about-" she didn't get to finish though.

"How Mother's been using me? Drop it."

"Actually, yes... It's... that..."

"Drop it," he ordered in a flat voice.

"You have to face the truth." Ria insisted, but he wasn't listening.

"Drop it Ria..." he commanded monotonously.

She flinched. It wasn't because of the direct order, or how cold he was being towards her—the latter isn't really that surprising—it was because of the tone he used. He was saying things like some part of him was lost, or rather, some part of him died. What was left was a cold passive shell. And come to think of it, she liked the old Kadaj better. At least that one had shown emotions—even if it was rage and mania most of the time—but at least he wasn't this lifeless. She couldn't stand it.

"Just listen to me for once," Ria pushed, "And try considering it."

She waited for an answer. Kadaj gave a pained sigh before giving his consent in the form of a small nod.

"What has she been telling you that made you believe her and want her so much?" She asked.

"She said, she cared about me, and when Reunion is over, we'll all be together. She'll have this planet, with all her children."

"And you believed her." It was more of a statement rather than a question.

Ria thought back on her nightmare when they were in the Forgotten City. That icy feminine voice coaxing her towards it was so appealing, deceiving, pleading. That voice had claimed her as its own. But of course, that was just a nightmare—a very disturbing one—so it made Ria wonder whether Jenova's voice sounded like that to Kadaj.

"You would to if you knew what I was going through."

"And what exactly are you going through?" Ria inquired.

"It's not important!" Kadaj snapped at her coldly.

"Yes it is. It has something to do about who you are now. Was it your childhood?"

Kadaj sighed. He needed to get that out so badly. In fact, he hadn't told anyone of that little snippet of his childhood which he never enjoyed looking back to. Nobody knew about it—not even Yazoo and Loz, and not since his rebirth through the Lifestream—after diving for that live piece of Jenova—that made him chronologically two years old when he looked seventeen. Nobody knew that story. And he was just going to spill the beans about it to Ria? Maybe it wouldn't hurt. Maybe it would be better if someone understood him why he was the way he was.


	20. Chapter 19: Confession

**A/N: I think I'm one of the numerous authors who came up with a different story for Kadaj and his brothers' early life-though I strongly believe that he never had one. But this IS fan fiction after all. I get to to this because I want to and I say so. And might I warn you that there is a little bit of graphic violence in this chapter. You can just skip the flashback if you don't like violence. I don't like it either, but it's necessary.**

* * *

**Chapter 19: Confession**

**Normal POV**

"We weren't exactly born like this. There was a point in our lives that we were normal for once. Loz, Yazoo, and I grew up in Banora. But we never had a happy family. Dad would beat Mom a whole lot. In turn, Mother said it was our fault. You see, Mom was pregnant to what've been our oldest sibling, but Dad signed her up for an abortion. She nearly died from the bleeding, but survived. Mom was sixteen at that time. She got pregnant to Loz just a year after. Dad wanted that baby aborted to, but Mom refused the second time. She was scared. When Loz was born, they intended to have him adopted, but Mom's parents found out, and they told her not to. They helped her raise Loz. Dad turned out okay that time, because he seemed to like Loz too, but then, Mom got pregnant again, a year after. Dad wanted the baby, and when Yazoo was born, it became one happy family."

"And where does that leave you?" Ria inquired. "And how do you know this much? You weren't even born when that stuff happened."

"Mom's sister told Yazoo and Loz about it when I was only seven months old, because by that time, our family was breaking apart already...because of me." Kadaj explained, and Ria shut up. "I was born two years after Mom had Yazoo. I was a mistake. That's what Mom told me. Dad wasn't my real dad."

Ria gasped internally, but Kadaj just ignored her reaction, and continued his story. "My mother had an affair with another man—her co-worker maybe—and Dad found out about it when I was two, and he beat Mom almost to the point of death. That 'secret' was hidden from me until I became four and learned about it from Yazoo. It was then I understood why Dad hated me so much, why he always loved Yazoo and Loz... but not me. He didn't love me because I'm a son of a b****, and my real father never showed up in my messed up life to even take responsibility for me."

Kadaj paused for a while, he wasn't even to the worst part yet, and he was on the verge of tears already. Ria all the while, had begun to understand why he wanted Jenova so badly, and why he was so cruel, and bossy. He never had a happy family.

"How old was your Dad?" She asked.

"Dad's a year older than Mom."

'_So that's why,_' Ria thought. "Then what happened?" She urged Kadaj, wanting to understand more.

"I was five, and Yazoo and Loz were at school when this horrible thing happened to me. Mom's at work and Dad stays at home. Even if Dad hated me, I didn't mind it that time—never paid much attention to it. The three of us were already getting fed up with life at home. Mom came home from work late everyday, and she'd be drunk, and spent the money gambling. Dad's into drugs, and sometimes went out with other women. What I'm about to tell you, Yazoo and Loz don't know about. Only _you_ do." Kadaj looked at Ria, taking in her reaction. The brunette just nodded mutely. "I was in my room, reading a book. Dad came in, and was obviously stoned, and to make things worse, he was drunk too, early in the morning. He told me we were going to play a game," Ria listened as Kadaj's voice began to break. "For a moment, I felt happy that Dad wanted to play with me, just like when he plays a basketball game with Yazoo and Loz, but I... I was wrong."

For some reason, Ria already knew where the story was going, and Kadaj just confirmed her suspicions.

"He...He _violated _me. And he was laughing at how much pain he was making me feel while he enjoyed it—every _***king_ moment of it." Kadaj spoke through gritted teeth, his fists clenched tightly, tears of anger now slipping from his eyes as he stared the brunette down.

"You don't have to tell me, if it really feels that way." Ria consoled him.

"No. It's better I get this out. I threatened him about telling Mom and my brothers, but he just...just laughed at me some more. He came into my room that night and violated me again, putting a gag in my mouth and tying my hands behind my back so I couldn't scream for help. I managed to break free but he had a knife and he was going to kill me. He threatened me until I bent to his will and let him have me. It happened daily for three weeks. He was treating me like an animal—***king me as much as he could whenever he had the chance. I got brave enough one day, and told Yazoo and Loz I wanted to run away. They were about to say no, but then we heard Mom and Dad fighting again. We hid, and when it was over, Mom lay on the floor, covered in bruises. We tried to help her, but she raged at us to get away from her. She told us to go away and never come back, especially me. She hated me. She said it was my fault. If I hadn't been born, her boyfriend wouldn't have left her, and Dad wouldn't be hurting her like that. So we ran away."

Kadaj was crying now, and Ria could see it. So she was right after all; about him having a messed up life that raved him insane and wanting to find Jenova just to have a family he desperately needed ever since he was a kid.

"Shin-Ra found us, one day; sickly, and weak. They took us to the lab for experimentation along with so many others. We spent years in there, and we were exposed to Mako just like the SOLDIERs, and infused with Jenova cells daily until our appearances changed. We began to look like Sephiroth. The others had gone mad and were taken down since they were no longer capable of reasoning and logic. But those of us who were left, and were still intelligent and sane enough, we were set free. Hojo thought we would go straight back to Sephiroth, but an incident occurred that proved his theory wrong. Jenova started speaking to me to find her. We were separated and I didn't find Yazoo and Loz yet. I was already seventeen at that time, and I followed a Shin-Ra scientist to the Northern Crater. I operated alone, not letting anyone come in my way, Cloud and the others tried to stop me, but they never really knew me. I took the form of a person's dead family member every time so I could hide my identity and manipulate them to tell me where Mother is, and did what I could to get as close to Mother as possible. That Shin-Ra scientist found a piece of Mother's live flesh wrapped in a handkerchief. He threw it to the Lifestream, and I followed after it, desperate not to lose it. As Sephiroth's Remnant and just like Sephiroth, I didn't die in my first trip to the Lifestream. I was reborn along with Yazoo and Loz two years after Meteor, in this very place. It makes me chronologically two years old after my rebirth, but in appearance, I look like I'm seventeen. My aging process will resume fifteen years later, when my age is chronologically correct. Until then, I'm stuck with this face."

"What happened to your Dad?" Ria asked once he was done.

"He's dead," Kadaj stated bluntly.

"How did you know?" Ria asked curiously.

"I killed the man myself."

"How? Why?" Ria blurted out after hearing Kadaj's statement.

"I swore that if I would see him someday, I'd kill him, and I did. He recognized me and tried taking advantage of me again but in the end, he begged for mercy when he realized I wasn't the helpless little boy he treated like an animal. It's nice to give him a dose of his own medicine," Kadaj smirked cruelly at this.

[Flashback]

_Creeping warily down the deathly silent street, Kadaj shuffled slowly, scuffing his boots against the cemented sidewalk, watching as the white snow glittered amidst the darkness. It had been a while since he last saw his brothers and as much as he hated admitting it, he didn't know where they were either. All he knew was that much more important things were at hand and he had to forerun his mission to find Mother. He had very recently watched the professor that morning as his prey was looking out the window of his apartment. The youth had decided to leave him alone after having just killed Kyrie._

_And after that brief encounter, another unexpected thing had happened while he was wandering aimlessly through the city streets during his free time. He was just walking the sidewalk that cold afternoon—gloved hands tucked neatly in the pockets of his heavy black trench coat, his breath visible in the cold winter air, and his eyes scanning the area for interesting events—when something extremely peculiar caught his attention._

_There was a fast food chain three steps from where he was. Not that the establishment was interesting—that was beside the point—but the man covered in heavy overcoats leaning against the brick wall of the fast food chain. Kadaj couldn't help but stare in mixed feelings of doubt and sheer glee at his insane luck._

_The man looked to be in his early thirties, but his face was instantly recognizable. The fellow looked harmless leaning against the wall and smoking a pipe on a winter afternoon—probably your average man trying to warm himself up, such was the norm, but innocent demeanors didn't fool the Remnant's serpentine eyes. Oh yes... He recognized the man. And the youth just couldn't believe it. After their not so fabulous escape from 'home' years ago, Kadaj didn't expect this abrupt meeting. He had seen this 'harmless' guy twelve years ago, and the teen quietly wondered if the man was still obsessed with committing incest. He was after all; burned into Kadaj's scarred mind as a pedophile that made the youth's supposed happy life hell twelve years ago._

_Seizing the rare opportunity to plot revenge, the youth discreetly brought the rather large hood of his trench coat up so he could talk to the fellow without the latter recognizing him—even though Kadaj's physical appearance has changed, but based on the teen's experience, fathers—even foster ones—recognized their children—whether adopted or not—especially if certain memorable events had taken place in early childhood where the parent got to bond with the child._

_Kadaj scoffed at this malignant thought. The only thing_memorable _for that smoker was how he loved to torture his b*****d son whenever the other members of the family weren't present. With intimidation radiating from the crazed youth, he casually made his way to the smoker to make 'small talk'. Such an opportunity had presented itself with vigor, and the Remnant was delighted to know that this man willingly invited him to dinner tonight. Things were bound to get interesting._

_So that's how Kadaj found himself walking late at night to his old man's place for a slight drink and some dinner. Things were bound to get interesting. Under the heavy trench coat he wore, Kadaj was wearing leather and his dual-bladed katana was already strapped to his lower back, ready to be unleashed from its sheath if the circumstance called for aid from the weapon._

_Some part of his sub consciousness told him it wasn't appropriate to take the life of the man who was his older brothers' father. But his brothers had no idea how much their 'father' made him suffer. It was personal gain to this, yes, but it would be beneficial. Kadaj decided he would enact whichever deed was appropriate. And talking over some things at dinner would do just the trick. If the man actually apologized sincerely, the youth knew he couldn't find the grounds to end the miserable fellow's life—as cold-blooded of a killer he was and even though he wouldn't be able to forgive the man and forget what he had done._

_Minutes later, Kadaj found himself standing in the front of double doors to the address the man had pointed out. He ringed the doorbell and a gracious young land lady opened the door. After having explained his purpose, he was led to his host's room. The door opened with a swing and Kadaj was greeted with a smug face that had malicious intent written all over it._

"_Come in boy!" The man exclaimed almost too enthusiastically._

_Kadaj stepped inside. The place was actually cozy and warm—almost welcoming but far from it. The air smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. Without further ado, the youth just took of his coat and slung it on the metal coat hanger by the door._

"_I have dinner ready, and I'm sure you're hungry. Took you a while to get here eh?" The man looked formal, just as Kadaj remembered him twelve years ago._

"_You're idea of dinner is quite... different. I had to walk all the way here." The Remnant explained, following the chuckling man into the dining room._

_Kadaj's suspicions were only increased when he took in the sight. The small dining table was laden with delicious food of course, and there was a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. The table sheets were a blood red color and the room was lit by candlelight. Not exactly your average dinner for men. It looked more like a couple's dinner date. Even though it aroused suspicion within the youth, he just decided to wait and see how far this man would go._

"_Not much public transportation roams at this particular hour. I'm sorry though, lad... It's the only time I'm not busy," the man explained, taking a seat across the round table._

_Kadaj could've scoffed. "It's alright... I'm used to it. So what exactly are your motives for inviting me over tonight?"_

_The imposed question was rather rude, but it seemed like his host didn't mind. In fact, the man displayed an impish face as the fire in the candles glowed bright in the dimly lit room. And Kadaj noticed that this guy's dining room was in his bed room. It was understandable since the space was confined, but it also didn't seem right._

_His host poured some wine into his guest's glass. "Just a friendly chat... Get to know each other and hopefully we could have a good laugh after having some drinks."_

_The man smiled and Kadaj thanked him for the wine and took a sip. It was somewhat strong, even though the youth was primarily used to drinking since not having a job sometimes required him to turn to alcohol for survival._

"_So how old are you?" Kadaj asked, determined to bombard the fellow with ranging questions that would somehow pave the way for him to spill out his early young adult's controversies._

"_I'm thirty-four..." The man answered, grinning while sophisticatedly introducing a lettuce into his mouth._

"_Quite young for a well-groomed man to be living alone," Kadaj stated casually while moving his food around on his plate. "Don't you have a family?"_

_The man was quiet for a short moment before answering. "I'm gonna be honest with you, lad... I used to have one."_

"_What happened?" The teen prodded conversationally, stabbing a lettuce rather noisily with his fork._

_The man sighed. "They deserted me eventually. First were my three sons, and then my wife... I don't know why." He replied, sounding very somber about the whole thing._

_Kadaj just loved listening to lies when he knew the truth. "Have you heard from any of your sons?"_

"_My eldest was Loz... The second one was Yazoo. Those two were my best boys. Very athletic," the man declared admiringly which only fueled rage and bottled jealousy inside the Remnant. "And the youngest was the boy I had the most fun with." His eyes glinted maliciously. "I think something I did upset him and I don't know if he ever forgave me. We used to play a game every night and he was practically enjoying it."_

_That was the last straw. This man obviously didn't regret what he had done to him. Kadaj found himself controlling his rage from flat out emerging. He resisted the urge to take out his sword and slash the man to pieces. He wanted this man to feel the same amount of pain—even more than what he had experienced._

"_What was the name of your youngest son?" Kadaj asked calmly, his voice carrying across the room with a dangerous edge._

"_Oh he's not worth mentioning. And besides... I have other plans for tonight." The man mused, standing up from his place and taking Kadaj's hand, he pushed the youth onto his bed._

_Kadaj let him, his anger building inside, as he watched the man advancing toward him. His 'father' casually reached for the zipper on the Remnant's clothing and it was at this moment that Kadaj stopped him._

"What was the name of your youngest son_?" He asked venomously, yet his face remained stoic._

_The man looked amused. "Why does it matter?_You _haven't even told me your name," the old one purred._

"_If I tell you, will you answer my question?" The Remnant asked, keeping a firm grip on the man's hand to keep from stripping him._

"_Yes. And I'll even sweeten the deal of making you feel good tonight..." The man pandered._

"_Alright... My name's Kadaj..."_

_That single sentence had seemed to jar the man to his senses, he quickly backed away from his would-be victim, and the Remnant took the opportunity to make this fellow feel like a caged animal—helpless, and weak against the predator._

"_What a coincidence!" His 'father' exclaimed, fear staining his tone. "You and my youngest son have the exact same name!"_

"_Really..." Kadaj spoke, stepping closer and not drawing his sword yet. "Because I do believe we share the same experiences as a child too... You see, we were both harassed by our '_fathers_'. And like you told me earlier." The Remnant stopped his advance once the man's back was pressed to the wall, and his voice went lower by an octave, intimidating and terrifying. "My_Dad_used to play a game with me too... He used to come to my room every night and treat me like an_animal_!"_

_As much as Kadaj hated reliving those memories, he needed to right now. It was necessary. And watching the surprised, confused, and livid expressions playing across his father's face right now, he knew he had ignited a dangerous match in this man's emotions. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt if he pushed the limits a little further._

_Smirking cruelly, he continued. "_I _am a victim of incest..._just like your youngest son!_" Kadaj exclaimed with a hint of madness. "And you know what's even more shocking? It's the fact that your youngest son and I am actually the same person!"_

_At those words, Kadaj's final string of patience for the man had been cut, he reached behind him, and drew his sword and pointed it threateningly at the man's throat, taking quiet pleasure as the man's usually pale face turned even whiter._

"_Why did you do that me?!" Kadaj stormed and when the man remained mute, he pressed his sword closer. "And to think that I came here hoping you'd recognize me and apologize. But NO!_ _You wanted to take advantage of me again and you DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE ME_! _Oh gee... That makes me wonder. What if it wasn't me who came tonight? I bet you would've added that guy to your list of toys too!"_

"_Go ahead!" The man yelled. "Kill me! It will be your loss and not mine. You will be tormented by a guilty conscience..."_

_Kadaj growled and backhanded the man across his face, causing both cheek and lip to split. "Oh shut up old man! You're the one who's made my life_hell_in that stupid place you call home! And don't you worry about me killing you. I intend too, but not after making you suffer the same amount of pain you inflicted on me as a child..."_

_At this, his father shoved him off, and tried to land a punch that would've broken Kadaj's perfect nose. But agile and as well trained as he was, Kadaj simply tapped the blow off. He hurled his father across the room in payback for the would-have-been assault._

"_If you think I'll let you treat me like that again, you're wrong! You_THREATENED _to kill me when I wouldn't yield to your DISGUSTING perverted ways. Tell me..." Kadaj purred, wrapping his hand around the man's throat and lifting him from the floor, slamming his head against the wall enough to cause pain but not a concussion. "Did you enjoy it? Every MOMENT of it?"_

"_Yes I did," his father exclaimed proudly. "And I have no regrets. You were the perfect toy to satisfy my itch!"_

_Kadaj snarled and spit on the man's face. "You DISGUST me! You're a damned man! And I HATE you... with every part of my being."_

_For good measure, he took the man's hand and sliced deep cuts on it with his sword. The man whimpered, staggering a little as Kadaj stepped away from him._

"_You know what made it more enjoyable? It was that pathetic look on your face every time I would take you. You've been helpless since the start, and your mother deserved the knowledge of your maltreatment!" The man yelled, trying to keep the deep lacerations from bleeding._

_Kadaj laughed—a psychotic, and cruel ringing that sent chills up the spine. "You thought that by treating me like you did, you could take revenge on mom?! Well let me tell you, you filthy carcass. IT WASN'T MY FAULT! Whatever conflict you and that WOMAN had..." Kadaj yelled, refusing to call that woman his disgraceful mother, "...was YOUR business! I was just the result of her disgraceful mistakes!"_

"_Damn right you are!" The man yelled, and Kadaj stepped closer to him._

"_If that's the case, shall we call it a broken finger for every painful intrusion you forced on me?" The Remnant grinned manically, taking the man's hand and listening to the shrill cry of pain as he snapped the man's thumb into two—breaking the bone underneath and causing internal bleeding._

_The horrid thing was, Kadaj wasn't merciful enough to break the man's bones at the joints. The man tried in vain to kick the sadistic youth away but his efforts were null. Kadaj held him down easily. And the more pain inflicted, the more the man knew he was in deep trouble._

"_That was the first time... The night on that same day," Kadaj mused, breaking the man's index finger. "Twice the next day..." The man's middle finger and ring finger snapped, and the teen listened to the cry of unbearable pain. He knew he was killing this pedophile slowly. "Oh hell... I can't remember anymore," Kadaj grinned. "Why not just break all of them, right? You f***ed me more than ten times anyway."_

_The man's eyes widened in terror as Kadaj's strong hands broke every single one of his fingers. He continued to cry out in pain._

"_Shhh... Someone will come for you," Kadaj whispered, letting the man have a dose of his own medicine and punching his stomach, enough to cough up blood from the man._

_So after breaking the last finger, Kadaj simply ripped a good portion of the curtains and tied it tightly around the man's loud mouth, effectively shutting him up with the improvised gag. He was thinking of ending the man's misery but it was just too soon for that._

"_So have you felt my pain enough?" Kadaj asked casually. "Or do I need to demonstrate some more?"_

_Now the man was definitely in terror. He knew he was worse than being in trouble. He started to have second thoughts on why he did do it to Kadaj. He never thought of this once helpless boy coming back and taking his adequate revenge for the wrongs and the maltreatment. His eyes began to fill with tears as Kadaj slowly traced the tips of his dual bladed sword across the mans side, creating deep, bleeding cuts that started under the arm down to his ankle. The teen did the same with the left side, and his victim begged for death with his pleading eyes as the sides of his body oozed blood that was beginning to form a puddle around him._

_Kadaj just wasn't very merciful. The various lacerations he had inflicted were well calculated to not kill easily. He sliced the skin just enough to let the man's blood seep out of the cut bit by bit until he would lose all the precious fluid in his body that keeps him alive. In other words, it was a slow and agonizing process. For his final act, the Remnant mercilessly cut off the man's arms at the elbows, earning him a satisfying shriek of pain and agony, and then wrapped his hand around the man's throat once more, and—although his hands were gloved—dug his fingers through the man's skin, enough to disable his vocal chords in doing their job. So when he _did _let go, the man's throat was bruised and looked fairly nasty. Removing the gag, Kadaj's personal prisoner tried to scream but no sound came out. The Remnant bent down, and picked up the dismantled appendages and threw them into the frying pan perched on the stove._

_Smiling with fake concern, the teen said: "I'm sorry,_Dad_, but this little meeting will have to end. I personally made sure you won't be able to get up from there or scream for help. I'll lock the door from the outside on my way out, and I'll let you enjoy the tranquility you deserve while you're agonizing and regretting why you even DARED f***ing me in the first place. Good night and have fun suffering all by yourself..."_

_Kadaj left that night, numb and sober. The crime he committed etched into his memory and knew for the rest of his life time that his so-called 'father' finally got the punishment he deserved._

[End of Flashback]

"Do they know?" Ria asked, motioning towards Yazoo and Loz who were asleep in the dim cave.

Kadaj shook his head. "No. And they won't find out."

"So that's why you want Reunion so badly. To have a family."

"I just want to know what it feels like to be cared for and to care about someone. Those people in my life who were supposed to give it to me neglected that simple responsibility. I'm a mistake," Kadaj sobered after that, looking at the expanse of sky before him, wishing he wasn't what he was.

"You have your brothers," Ria encouraged, the pain on her side ravaging her again.

Kadaj shook his head again. "They're my half-brothers. You've noticed how they're close to each other. Even when fighting. I'm the loner."

Ria looked at him apologetically, seeing him differently than before. He was no longer the crazed and insane sadistic killer who kidnapped her and tried to kill her moments earlier. Looking at him now, he was just a normal, depressed, teenager who ever really wanted in life was to be loved and cared about.

"I'm sorry," Ria admitted. "...for saying those words about you."

"I deserved it anyway; for being an insensitive creep," he shrugged, and looked at her. He smiled sadly.

Ria secretly watched the curves of his lips, remembering how it had felt to kiss him. He had no feelings for her, but it wasn't bad to dream.

"I think I should be the one apologizing to you... For that," he gestured towards her cut. "Perhaps I'm too cruel. I'm sorry...about other things to."

"It's okay. I understand now." Ria nodded.

Kadaj just sighed. "You still want to stay out here?"

"Yeah... Sky's beautiful tonight."

"I'm getting some sleep. Wake us up if something feels off," Kadaj said, sounding like a person of authority again. It felt good seeing him back to normal. "'Night Ria."

Before she could utter a single word, Kadaj had already cupped her cheek and turned her head to face him. Wordlessly, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead before standing up and making his way over to his sleeping bag. Ria touched the space where his gentle lips met her skin. She turned around to see him settle under the makeshift covers.

'_He's not so bad after all,_' she thought.

"Good night Kadaj. Sweet dreams," she whispered though he couldn't hear her.

* * *

**A/N: Kadaj finally relates his whole story to her. Well, there's obviously no suspense since I posted the first 38 chapters including the prologue.**


	21. Chapter 20: Dread

**Chapter 20: Dread**

**Deliria's POV**

I open my eyes to the bright sunlight that greets me. I'm in the mouth of the cave.

"So you're definitely awake, huh?"

I turned around to see Kadaj packing his belongings into a knapsack big enough to fit in his motorbike's trunk. Yazoo and Loz aren't anywhere. Where are they?

"Yeah. I'm awake," I tell the boy who's looking at me, "Where're Yazoo and Loz?"

"Out checking the perimeter, making sure the coast is clear when we leave," Kadaj explains.

I frown slightly. "Why aren't you with them?"

It feels wrong and uneasy to talk to Kadaj this way, but after everything he's told me last night, I'm starting to loosen up around him. Maybe enough to let my guard down. To me, he isn't as dangerous as he looked before, after knowing his story, and after telling me a secret he had never shared with anyone except me.

"You'd rather I leave you here?" He asks with one eyebrow raised, the corner of his lips turned up into one incredibly sexy smirk.

_Oh my gosh!_

_Hey Deliria! STOP THAT! _

"But didn't you outrun Shin-Ra already?" I ask. What's the point of coming here after all?

"We did... But only for the meantime. They'll start tracking us again. Shin-Ra thinks the Remnants are a danger to the planet. They just don't realize there's no point for us staying in Midgar."

Well, I can't blame him. He's been forced to grow up so fast, and I'll give him credit for it. Kadaj thinks like a genius.

_Okay, I have to stop complementing him. __I'm starting to think that he's adorable._

_What? No way!_

I sigh heavily. He's right. Once Shin-Ra thinks something needs to be disposed off, they don't stop until every one of them is wiped out. Their behavior proves to be precautionary, but really unnecessary, if they only knew what this Remnant leader's been through. But I'm not about to tell Kadaj that.

"They won't understand. If they get to know you instead of judging you, then..." I mutter under my breath.

"What's that?" Kadaj pipes up and I snap my head to attention mode. Did he hear me?

"Nothing. I just saw something interesting."

_Nice going Ria. _That's a horrible lie, and Kadaj is looking at me funny. He isn't buying it, and now I'm wondering what he's thinking. He draws his pack closer to him for a bit of inspection right before I avert my gaze again. As ridiculous and as stupid as it sounds, I'm avoiding his otherworldly eyes that draw humans like me in. So I let all tha air I'm holding in out once two long shadows cast by human figures loom at the entrance of the cave. There's no need to guess who that might be. It means Yazoo and Loz are back from their morning patrol.

"Good morning Ria. Nice to see you're awake," Yazoo gives me a small smile but enough to twist my insides into knots.

"Yeah. Good morning Yazoo."

Off to my far right, I can hear Kadaj and Loz bickering again. Loz sounds like he's teasing Kadaj, but about what? But I guess it isn't my business to understand, is it? I shake my head quietly at the amused look Yazoo directs at his two brothers. It's hard not to notice it now—how much Yazoo and Loz have slightly more angular features with soft sides compared to Kadaj who has cute near-gone baby fat all over his face. It's either because they're older, or it's just the parental resemblance.

_Ria? What are you thinking about? _

_Nothing... GAH! I'm talking to myself._

These thoughts keep running through my head, and caused a deep blush when I realize I'm staring at the three of them. _Gawking's more like it. _Kadaj stands up; his face still showed mourning over what had happened last night. He looks depressed for the first time.

"Where do we go now, Kadaj?" Loz asks in childish voice.

The Remnant leader shrugged casually, and resumes a leader's pose. His eyes betray him. He's still upset over Jenova. _So she really _does_ have a strong impact in his life. _It's almost like split personalities. Just a while ago, when I woke up, he sounded like he was in a good mood. I guess I overlooked the façade. How stupid of me. Of course he's still upset over his 'Mother'. _Geez, what did she do to deserve his utmost respect and adoration anyway? _I scoff.

"I'm not sure. We'll figure it out when we get there."

"Kadaj, are you sure about this?" Yazoo inquires coldly.

"Of course I am."

_Okay, so they're leaving. Where does all this leave me? _If anything, am I still considered their prisoner? Jenova wanted me alive for Reunion, but that'd never happen now because Cloud and the others had gotten their hands on her friggin' head before Kadaj and his brothers could. Honestly, I really don't want to go with them. I don't exactly want to spend the rest of my life living with three silver-haired men. _Thank you very much._

"Am I still your prisoner?" I blurt out of nowhere in particular. _Oh fab, Deliria Hollow. Way to express your point. _

Kadaj's head turns to my direction, and he cocks his head to the side for a moment. "Not really classified as one now, because Reunion isn't happening anymore. No thanks to Strife," Kadaj speaks out, but I still managed to catch the last sentence that's conveniently mumbled.

"Does this mean I'm free?" I look at each of them, and Yazoo's looking at me like he's pleading not to because he wanted me with him. _I hope._

"Not quite."

I roll my eyes upon hearing Kadaj's absurd one-track minded decision.

"Are you kidding me? Jenova wanted me alive, now she's dead. What's the point of keeping me here? I just want to finish my investigation and live a quiet life. Is that so much to ask for?"

_Maybe it's just me, or is Kadaj suddenly looking regretful?_

_Probably just your imagination Deliria. Why would he regret kidnapping you? I mean, you sure as heck enjoyed that scripted kiss he gave you. _

_Oh shut up, conscience._

Nonetheless, I return his stare with mild judgment in them. He said I'm not quite free. It doesn't necessarily mean I still have to go by his orders. I'm not their prisoner anymore.

"None of us had gotten the life we asked for," Kadaj shoots back, giving me a look that had last night's events rolling back into my head.

"That doesn't mean you should be taking away mine," I spit back.

A gentle hand touches my arm, and I turn to see Yazoo holding me back. Unbidden concern is all over his face, and I sort of feel sorry for him. He and Loz didn't have a nice family too, but Kadaj really had the worst end of the stick. As far as Yazoo and Loz know, Kadaj suffered the same fate they had. They don't know Kadaj has suffered hell of a lot more.

My phone begins ringing in the middle of the heated conversation, gladly cutting whatever nasty remarks that are lurking in Kadaj's mouth. I guess he's going to unleash it later then. I hold up a finger.

"Hold that thought."

Kadaj nods stiffly, and I don't even bother to turn around to get some privacy. Who needs that crap anyway? The brothers and I stand rooted on our spots. I don't recognize the number calling me, but I'm getting the cold feeling that it's bad.

At the sound of the calm voice on the other end of the line, I recognize it's Shin-Ra and my blood runs cold once he starts speaking. Shin-Ra has contacted me.

"How did you get this number, and what do you want from me?" I demand, earning curious looks from the guys in the cave.

"_Easy, Agent. Is it so bad that I called? I'm still your boss, remember that._" I can just as easily imagine Rufus, wagging his long finger at me.

"Over your swelling ass," I mutter, but did I really speak that loud enough that Loz is suppressing a laugh from erupting? Kadaj and Yazoo look amused. _Oh joy, they're turning this phone call into some source of entertainment._

"_I just wanted to offer you a little proposition._"

My grip on my phone tightens, and this time I have a sense to turn my back on the Remnants. I quietly step back a few meters to hear what Shin-Ra demands from me.

"What proposition?" I raise an eyebrow, even though he can't see.

"_I've received reports with regards of you working with Kadaj's gang—_"

_What? _"I-"

"_Just hear me out_," I can definitely imagine him holding up a hand to stop whatever I was going to say. "_I know you have some explaining ready for me; Cloud's told me all about it._" I growl.

"What exactly do you want?" I demand, and a hand taps my shoulder. I turn to see that it's Kadaj, mouthing something I can't seem to understand.

"_Come to Healin now. No questions. I'll explain and talk there, and you can tell me everything, while I hold keys and answers to information you've been asking all this time._"

_Could it really mean? _I can't think clearly anymore. I try blinking, but such an exercise doesn't even work for me at the very moment. As absurd and as wild as the idea sounds, could he be talking about my fallen fellow Agents? I have to get there. It's risky, but I've waited so long for this, I'm not letting such an opportunity surpass me. Reckless, and stupid, yes, but useful, and worth it. I take a deep breath.

"Private conversation? No other Shin-Ra casualties nearby?" I inquire, and the silence is unbearable even only for three short seconds.

"_You have my word._"

"I'm coming."

I snap my phone shut and tuck it safely in my pocket.

**Normal POV**

Ria snapped her phone shut, hanging up on the company president. She sighed quietly, and gasped when Kadaj roughly spun her around to face him.

"What did he say to you? He asked something from you! What was it?" Kadaj demanded in the most intimidating tone he could muster. And Ria _was _intimidated.

"He wants me to come to Healin." Ria replied. "Now. And definitely alone."

Before Kadaj could speak, Yazoo had reacted out of instinct. "I can't let you! It's too dangerous."

Silently, Yazoo took cautious steps in her direction, noticing the sudden wall she had brandished around her to keep her feelings in check. For some unfathomable reason, Yazoo didn't know why he suddenly had the overwhelming instinct to protect her.

"Yazoo, I appreciate your concern, but I have to. I've wanted this information all this time." Ria explained, silently begging with her eyes.

"You want it so bad that you're gambling your life?"

"Why do you care if I gamble my life or not?" Ria demanded out of nowhere. Surprisingly though, this made Yazoo step back a little, realizing he had been forward and expressed feelings of concern. Because he had come to love her—silently.

Ria sighed, and spoke. "I thought so." She let her gaze travel to the youngest, letting him be the judge since she wasn't quite free yet.

Kadaj nodded once. "You'll go. But we're waiting in the sidelines."

"You care about me now too?" Ria shot back, giving in to the decency of cracking a hopeless joke.

"Only because I owe you something."


	22. Chapter 21: Enemies

**Chapter 21: Enemies**

**Normal POV**

Ria looked up at the structure atop a cliff. The scenery was beautiful, yes, but the impending meeting sure wasn't. She stood off to the side now, after changing into the spare clothes packed inside her knapsack. Her hair was still tied back in a braid, but now she wore jeans along with brown hiking boots, a black top, with a brown leather jacket with a stiff collar, and sleeves that halted at her elbows. She also wore black gloves with a gun holstered on her side along with two daggers hidden in each boot.

Kadaj had commented earlier that she looked like an archaeologist, but who cared? Kadaj had insisted that they hear every second of the conversation, hoping to hear something about Mother and Sephiroth. In a regular basis, she might've mocked him with regards to hoping for something that wasn't coming like an innocent child, but not now when she had a case to settle herself.

He insisted that she put her former skills to the test. A communicating device was tucked neatly behind a fold in her collar. It hid the device well, along with an earpiece, she can openly communicate too.

[Flashback]

"_If you're going to that meeting, we're going to be hooked along with it. That means we'll be 'eavesdropping' on your conversation with Rufus. We'll provide back up when he attacks you."_

_Ria was silent, still unsure about everything he was instructing her. She was going to let the Remnants participate, and if Rufus finds out, she was going to be dead without second thoughts. Only means that they had to be extra careful._

_The brunette had her arms folded across her chest as she leaned against the cold cave wall. _

"_Just talk into the lapel," Yazoo instructed her firmly._

"_Yeah. I got it. I've been trained to do stuff like this, years ago."_

"_We know," Kadaj motioned for her to shut up, and then handed her the gadgets needed._

"_Where'd you get these?" Ria wondered, seeing as he didn't have a job of some sort as she examined the little black speakers and ear pieces._

"_Don't ask," Loz interjected for the first time since they started the meeting._

_Ria shrugged._

[End of Flashback]

So, now there she was, standing off to the side, waiting for the go signal from the Remnant leader. She watched the steady stream of water as it tumbled from the steep cliff, and she nonchalantly wondered where the river's roots are. Subconsciously, Ria's fingers wandered to her once throbbing side, remembering how Kadaj had cast Cure over it that early morning, so it would heal, and she won't have to end up hobbling around clutching her side during an unexpected battle.

Her phone rang at that instant, and she answered the call from one very well hidden Remnant.

"You ready to get in?" Kadaj asked on the other line.

"Since five minutes ago," she replied with an eye roll even though he wouldn't be able to see it.

"You're clear. And you'd better not make Rufus suspicious." Kadaj warned sternly.

"Aye, aye, Captain," Ria mumbled to herself before hanging up on him.

It was just a meeting with Rufus Shin-Ra—her boss, so what could go wrong right? Ria breathed in deeply and started on the dirt road separating her from the Healin Lodge which was only a few feet ahead.

vVvVv

The rickety metal door opened slowly as Ria pushed through. Surprisingly, it wasn't locked. So Shin-Ra _had _been expecting her after all. That could be a good sign—or not. The first thing Ria noticed when she stepped in was that there was more furniture than last time, and now it looked like a mini lobby. She could hear voices from the other door to north-left, and was guessing that Rufus was coming.

Sure enough, the president entered the room with a confident air. He took one knowing glance at her and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Please, sit," he gestured the couch right behind her, but she stood her ground.

"I'd rather stand."

Rufus nodded once. "As you wish."

The president subtly and nonchalantly took his place behind the desk, and intertwined his fingers on the desktop in front of him. Ria fought hard not to squirm at the look he was giving her. It wasn't malicious, or creepy. It was just too friendly, like she was here on some visit, and they were just having an old camaraderie chat. It was making her uncomfortable. Rufus was clearly trying to convince her to let her guard down—in an almost noticeable way, but too good, and you're obvious.

"So what am I doing here?" Ria blurted out the first question that came to my mind.

"To answer your question, you're here because I called you for a small meeting," Rufus gave her an open smile that faded away too quickly. "Let's start from the beginning. Tell me what happened."

Ria blinked in surprise, trying to detect some signs of a trap lurking underneath the surface of his words. Was there supposed to be a catch? She visibly winced and shifted her weight to her other foot, keeping in mind the listening device hooked in her collar. If she'd give any signs of a planned eavesdropping, she'd be dead. If Shin-Ra didn't kill her, Kadaj would definitely kick her sorry butt.

Her stomach jumped at the sudden voice that rang from the earpiece hidden neatly in her ear, tucked safely behind her hair.

"Tell him everything. Including my plan..." It was Kadaj of course, and she couldn't disobey that—although she was an Agent, and was fully capable of doing this herself, she very well trusted a Remnant's sixth sense better than hers—as absurd as it sounds.

Ria shrugged mentally, and latched on to her tale about how Kadaj had found her in an abandoned building (purposefully avoiding to mention what building it was), and brought her back to his base and threatened her. She told him all about his previous plans on world domination—which earned an amusing flinch from Rufus, and how the Remnant leader went as far as to break her ties to Cloud with a convincing plan—still refusing to give the president some details about how exactly Kadaj did it. (The kiss is just too embarrassing, and private—as shocking as it is.) She told him about Kadaj's break-in to Shin-Ra's house after he forced her to help him find Mother, and at this, Shin-Ra nodded in understanding. He was there. She told him about Kadaj's plans to keep her alive because Jenova willed it.

"We came to the Northern Crater to find that Jenova has been annihilated. What exactly happened to her?" Ria finished her tale with a lingering question.

"Destroyed, of course." Ria clenched her teeth at Rufus's words. "I told Cloud where we're keeping her, and he was smart enough to anticipate Kadaj's next move. Therefore, they wasted no time in getting there with Shin-Ra personnel, and eliminating that parasite from the face of the planet."

Ria was silent. She was glad that they had managed to do such a thing—thank Cloud's chocobo brain—but it slightly unnerved her when a low growl was heard through the earpiece she was wearing. She willed Kadaj to shut up. Thankfully, he did because he sounded like he wanted to disrupt the whole conversation by tearing Rufus apart.

"Ria," at the sound of Rufus calling her by nickname, her mind snapped back into focus, no thanks to Kadaj's animalistic interruption, "...you claim to be on our side, don't you?"

The brunette bit her lip. If she said yes, the brothers would hear her, and she didn't want them to get the wrong idea—especially not Yazoo, and Kadaj wouldn't hesitate to kill her because Mother was gone now after all, but if she risked a 'no', then that would mean botching her chance to drill the answers she desperately craved for. She was against Shin-Ra, but not against Cloud—even if the blonde _did _hate her now. Weighing her options in what seemed like forever, she slowly spoke:

"Yes...I'm not just claiming it; I _am_ on your side." She silently hoped Kadaj wouldn't take it the wrong way. 

"So be kind as to answer this question that bothers me." Ria nodded once at Rufus' statement. "Why didn't you escape them?"

Ria sighed. "You of all people certainly know how violent they are. Surely, you understand why I hesitated to escape. I wanted to tell Cloud, but as I explained earlier, that ex-SOLDIER has forsaken me, and Kadaj personally made sure he would hate me," she spoke bitterly.

Rufus nodded in understanding, his demeanor as calm as an undisrupted pool of water.

"But you managed to escape now," Rufus droned lowly. Ria blanched. How could she have been so stupid? "You took the risk?"

"I...uh..." '_Damn it Deliria! Don't stutter! I'M STUTTERING! I NEED WORDS!_' Ria thought hysterically, her insides in complete turmoil. The longer she stayed silent, the more evident that she was lying. '_Gee Kadaj. Now would be a good time to interrupt, don't you think?_'

"You explained earlier that they took you to as far as the Northern Crater to find the Calamity. How did you get here so fast?" Rufus asked calmly, almost too innocently that she wanted to smack the expression off of his face.

'_He's interrogating me! That's not fair! I'll have to tell the truth. Screw the fact that Kadaj is going to kill me. Now or never._'

"Honestly, I agreed to help them find Jenova just so I could take matters in my own hands and try to stop them. But it turns out, the job I assigned myself to do is already done." Ria shrugged nonchalantly, another growl emanating from the device in her ear. This time, she managed to ignore the distraction. '_Gosh, he sure is livid at me._' Ria thought.

"Oh, so you decided to 'take matters into your own hands' for the sake of stopping them. What would you have done if they _did _find Jenova?" Ria was going to answer the question, but he cut her off just as immediately. "I think you're lying. Cloud told me everything. You're working with them. Your lie was well thought of, but not smart enough to even get away with," Rufus mocked.

Ria was pretty much sure that her face was beet red, especially when Kadaj murmured: "Oops." They'd fallen for the trap. Just fabulous.

"Fine!" Ria yelled, not thinking clearly anymore. "I'm confused about which side to take right now. I'll admit that. After hearing from both sides, yeah I'm confused. But I know what I'm against!" She yelled defiantly, not caring anymore.

Rufus had his fist clenched on the desktop, the other hand dropped at his side.

"I'm against YOU!" She stabbed a finger at his direction, his face set in a grim expression, trying to hide his surprise. "What happened to all the other Agents that got sent on REJECT?" She demanded.

"I'm not in a place to answer your question," he stated calmly, but Ria refused to listen to anymore of his fabricated lies.

"Yes you are!" She gesticulated wildly as she spoke. "You're the president of this friggin' company. _Everybody's _taking orders from you. So don't you tell me you don't know! Yes you do! And you've been hiding it from all of us all this time."

"If you really want to know, we have them placed in their respective areas—where they surely belong," Rufus drawled, fingering the trigger beneath the folds of his coat.

"They're alive?" Ria whispered disgruntled.

Rufus smirked cruelly. "Hardly. Failures don't have a place in such a high standardized facility as this." He explained with a hard expression.

What had been spoken had fueled rage inside of her like fire. It coursed through her veins in deadly accuracy. She felt it all; the desire to tear him apart, to kill him, to make him beg for mercy, for death. Above it all, there was yet another question lingering in her tongue; one she had yearned to ask when Shin-Ra mentioned that they knew about Jenova's whereabouts before Kadaj and his brothers decided to start looking for her.

"Why didn't you destroy her when you had the chance to do so?"

Rufus seemed to relax at the change of subject, but Ria knew she was far from changing. This was merely a hasty detour.

"Two years ago..." Rufus agreed. "She could've been a useful subject for further experimentation."

"One isn't enough? You still want to recreate Sephiroth?!" Ria yelled in outburst. "You're just as bad as _they _are." She pointed out, referring to Kadaj and his brothers.

Surprisingly, Kadaj stayed silent through her ranting. Well, he'd definitely kick her butt later, but she had other things to worry about for now.

"You have it the wrong way Agent Hollow," she grimaced upon hearing her formal name. "We're planning to use him for us. The old Sephiroth is dead and gone. He is an experiment that had succeeded too well. He ended up attempting to destroy his creators. This time, we planned for a recreation, but through different procedures. Sadly, it hasn't been carried out yet due to...unwanted circumstances."

Ria scoffed cruelly, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Yeah right. Everyone knows your hunger for power. That's all you've ever wanted since the start!"

Ria huffed impatiently and proceeded to stare him down now that the only thing separating them was the desk.

"I'm sick of you. I'm sick and disgusted that I was even a _part _of the s*** you've desperately wanted. I'm one of them left, and I know you're planning of disposing of me once I'm done. What happened to the others? Their life was wasted by petty experiments all in the name of science. Thanks, but next time you gamble, bet your own life."

She turned around. She was halfway through the door when he called for her again.

"So you're just going to walk away then?" Rufus challenged.

This interruption made the former Agent pause of course. One hand was already stretched, reaching for the doorknob that would take her outside. After all this, she was seriously considering running from the Remnants.

"I'd rather walk away, than stay here and be a marionette for another catastrophe."

She didn't have time to react of course when she opened the door, and two guards had grabbed her.

"Not so fast Agent. You wanted to be with them, so you'll join them. This world is a mess without this company's genius. Cloud and his friends will realize it too soon enough."


	23. Chapter 22: Allies

**Chapter 22: Allies**

**Normal POV**

Rapid yet light footsteps pounded in the dirt as Kadaj raced his way to the entrance to Healin. Ria was in trouble; her struggling evident from the cussing coming from the spy device. He'd definitely have to remind her who's boss once they were through with this. Another thing Kadaj had been thinking was Shin-Ra's hot pursuit for them. Well, after hearing the heated conversation between Ria and Rufus, several things had set the Remnant leader on edge with regards to his decision. What was he going to do with her?

Kadaj sighed, taking a great leap from the ground below and straight to the top of the railing in a perfect landing only a person like him could possibly perfect. But now wasn't the time to gloat about his enhanced abilities. He could hear her much clearly now. Ria was cursing and struggling.

Kadaj drew his sword; somewhere in the back of his mind, he was thinking that Yazoo and Loz had to be on their way here. Without a second thought, Kadaj rammed the door open and the guards stopped what they were doing, and just as Reno and Rude entered the scene.

"Just perfect," Rufus purred, taking out his gun.

Ria watched the scene unfold before her eyes in the strong grip of armed Shin-Ra personnel. As fast as she blinked, the bullet was let loose and aimed straight for the Remnant standing in the doorway. Kadaj dodged the bullet of course.

"Punk," Rude mumbled under his breath, and Ria caught her captors still shocked. Gathering her strength, she stepped on both of their toes.

The guard turned to her with his masked face. His boots were steel toed, and damn that hurt. Ria flinched at the pain and the humiliating fact that her only chance of escape had been crushed. The guard to her left grunted and fell to the floor in a heap.

'_What just happened?_' Ria thought quietly, and then the guard to her right had blood on the side of his neck, the fabric of his clothing within the neck area was soaked. Ria blinked rapidly and turned to her left. Yazoo gave her a nod before proceeding to embed bullets into Reno's skull.

Alarms were going off now, and more of the heavy boot steps of Shin-Ra personnel can be heard tromping up the metal stairs. Apparently, Loz had joined in the fight too. And in the midst of it all, Rufus had escaped. They were in a cramped room with barely enough space to move, much less to hold an extermination squad coming. Just as she nailed a guard on the head with the butt of her gun, the door burst open and men began filing in with their guns cocked at the ready.

"Just great," Ria complained aloud sarcastically.

"Forget the numbers and fight your way through," Kadaj yelled at her with Reno and Rude out cold at his feet.

Yazoo and Loz had disappeared too at Kadaj's orders to track down Shin-Ra and find out if Healin had an underground lab. Just as those words were spoken, guards came at him all at once, but they were a second too late. Kadaj had shifted to black mist again, and seemed to dissolve out of sight.

"Tell me to fight and then _you_ disappear into empty air. Thanks a lot Kadaj!" Ria called out, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The men came at her and she fended off a kick aimed at her side, shooting a bullet at another guard at the same time. Apparently, she wasn't used to fighting one against millions. Just as good as her start was, the coming end wasn't going to be pretty. One guard snared his arm across her shoulders, his hand choking her. Another seemed to come out of nowhere and delivered a punch to her gut. Ria puked.

The guard who had punched her didn't have time to react right before his head was abruptly snapped to the side, and he was dead. Kadaj flung him to the floor, materializing out of empty air. The next step, Souba stabbed the guard that had her in his cruel clutches. Kadaj withdrew his sword after running the man through until the hilt, and blood sprayed from the wound as he fell to the floor in a bloody heap, joining his comrade in the messy floor.

Ria coughed. "Thanks," she managed, heaving another cough.

A guard was sneaking up behind Kadaj, and Ria yelled at him to duck. But the warning wasn't needed, because the silver-haired teen had already heard it coming. Kadaj _did _duck, and elbowed the man sharply on his stomach, whirling around in a blur of motion, and bringing Souba around in a deadly arc that severed his opponent's head.

Ria gagged, and Kadaj just smirked at her reaction.

"From being an Agent, you'd think a girl like you could get used to gore," Kadaj smothered a laugh as the brunette glowered at him.

"Let's get out of here," she snapped, reflexively heading for the door for a dose of fresh air. "Where're you brothers?"

"I wouldn't be worried about them if I were you," Kadaj stated simply as they stepped over dead bodies and some unconscious ones that littered the once spotless floor. "You still owe me an explanation."

Just like that, Ria stayed silent, Kadaj following her as they left the lodge and Shin-Ra some corpses to tend to. Another grand funeral was on its way.

vVvVv

The newly formed alliance of four sat around a campfire after traveling the whole day, determined to put as much distance between Shin-Ra and themselves. A conversation hadn't occurred; the brothers were still silent. Yazoo wrapped a blanket around himself, tighter than usual. Loz was lying on the log he was sitting on, and apparently had fallen asleep. The night noises of various animals were deafening. The fire crackled slightly.

Ria sat close to a tree trunk, nibbling on her fingernails restlessly. Kadaj was still cleaning his sword from the blood that coated them earlier. Ria stole glances at him once in a while, wondering when Kadaj was going to bring up the subject about her botched alliances and in which side she was really on.

"Get some sleep. We leave early tomorrow morning," Kadaj spoke, addressing the people who were awake. Disappointingly, Kadaj didn't look up from his chore.

She and Yazoo shared a glance, before the middle Remnant mouthed a 'Good night' to her. She nodded once before Yazoo began getting comfortable. She secretly watched as Yazoo stared up at the night sky, his eyelids fluttering slightly and closed. Kadaj sighed.

"You should get some sleep too," Kadaj said softly, sheathing his sword, and throwing the rag aside. "I'll keep watch."

Ria was close to dozing off when once he gave the order to sleep. (As weird as it sounds, she was beginning to acknowledge his leadership since she could never remember.) But something along the lines of keeping watch made her eyelids snap open.

Ria sat up. "The whole night?"

Kadaj shrugged. "Do you see anyone else volunteering for the job?"

She bit her lip. "Staying awake for the whole night doesn't sound good for you." This time, she found herself wondering why she was concerned all over again.

"I can withstand hours of fatigue. Not exactly your average human being," Kadaj raised an eyebrow at her, gracing her with a cocky smirk.

"Are you...sure about that?" she asked hesitantly, not even bothering to hide the concern evident in her tone.

Kadaj was noticing it too. And honestly, it baffled him. Especially because it came from a girl. But he wasn't going to admit that to her openly—not now at least.

"I am... Just get some rest." Kadaj nodded once.

Ria closed her eyes and leaned her back against the trunk of a tree, but her mind refused to cooperate and rest. Instead, she found herself sitting up straight, feeling the surge of courage to talk about...some things.

"How about you'll take first watch, and when you feel tired, wake me up so I can take my turn," she suggested, hoping he'd comply.

Kadaj shrugged. "Okay."

"Kadaj, are you mad at me?" No answer. "Are you still upset over Jenova? You've been awfully quiet lately."

The male shook his head, and just turned to meet her curious purple gaze.

"We'll talk some other time. Just sleep."

They both fell silent after that. Ria was fidgeting with her braid, tying and untying the white ribbon at the end. She looked up and was speechless when Kadaj's face met her line of vision.

He sat next to her, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. He _was_ mad at her, but things like that could wait. He had no idea what was drawing him to her, or the fact that he was strangely attracted. It was indeed weird, but it could very well wait. He had to know, but he wasn't rushing things. After all, he was still in shock with regards to finding out what had become of Mother.

For now, he'd give in to the simple pleasure of attraction to her. Hesitantly, he cupped her cheek, turning her face to him. Surprise was there, but that was understandable. What kind of girl in her right mind would have the idea to fall for a psychotic gang leader? And a remnant of Sephiroth to top it off.

A small smile played across his lips. He brushed her bangs from her face, tucking them subtly behind her ear. His gloved fingers, gentle and soothing, like butterfly kisses across her cheeks.

With no hesitation, Kadaj touched his lips to her forehead, a warm subtle feeling in the back of his head like the first time he kissed her forehead back at the Northern Crater. The fire crackled slowly, darkening to small embers as the fire died out, shrouding the woods in protective darkness.

"I'll wake you up, so get some sleep," he whispered before crawling away to his place.

"Kadaj?" He turned to her, face stricken of emotion. "Thank you." She whispered before giving herself over to a deep and dreamless sleep.


	24. Chapter 23: Hideout

**Chapter 23: Hideout**

**Normal POV**

"Kadaj," Ria groaned. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

She asked him as he and his brothers prepared their motorbikes. Kadaj was ignoring her for the most part. He kept himself occupied.

"What do you mean why didn't he wake you up?" Loz asked curiously, tilting his head purposefully.

"I was supposed to take second watch so he could sleep," she explained, trapping her gun to its holster on her thigh.

"Wow, Kadaj." Loz grinned wolfishly, turning his head to his little brother. "First time I heard from a girl you actually let someone talk some sense into you."

Yazoo was chewing on his bottom lip, refusing to make comments despite the fact that he was smothering his laugh. Kadaj sighed, and got to his feet, heaving another depressed sigh.

"I don't like waking up people who are having good dreams," he shrugged, throwing the rocks and sticks they had used for the fire overnight to the trees where they were concealed.

Ria cocked her head slightly. So far, her slumbers were dreamless. Kadaj was definitely lying.

"It's still unfair on your part," Ria argued, and Kadaj shot her a look, telling her to shut up.

"So I let you sleep. Big deal. Can we not talk about this anymore?"

Seeing the Remnant leader's resignation towards the topic, Ria retreated her course, and just proceeded to follow consecutive orders about to come their way.

"Yes oh, mighty defender of Jenova," she mumbled sarcastically, and Kadaj shot her a look that clearly said 'shut up', and he just glared at her.

Yazoo and Loz were heading to the motorbikes and she followed sluggishly behind the trio. Today was going to be an exhausting day, and she could already feel the taste of sweat that was to come.

"So where are we off to now?" Yazoo asked once Kadaj and Ria reached them.

Ria shrugged, not really answering Yazoo since she knew he wasn't referring to her for some answers anyway. The middle Remnant looked at his two brothers expectantly, especially at Kadaj.

"We could go to Junon!" Loz exclaimed cheerily.

Ria shivered, remembering the accident that had happened during an Agent's training there.

"No," she shook her head.

"Corel?" Loz suggested once more.

"Don't think so Loz. Word's gotten out about the trouble we've been causing," Kadaj commented pointedly, returning to his normal sulking.

"Where do we go then?" Loz chirped like a little kid while bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"We can't go back to Banora," Yazoo stated, the brothers nodded in agreement.

"I think we should just go. We'll know when we get there," Ria suggested, really expecting one of the Remnants to tell her how stupid her idea was—preferably Kadaj.

"Kadaj?" Yazoo inquired, seeking confirmation.

Whatever the Remnant leader said was final, and they all had no right to argue, even if the possibility was there, but Yazoo for one, never would. He respected Kadaj as much as he once cared about Mother. Even if Reunion wasn't going to happen anymore, he was still their leader, and to be honest, Yazoo couldn't imagine himself living a life without Kadaj's daily orders. Loz is indecisive about things too. As vulnerable and as young as he was, Kadaj was pretty mature as much as his older brothers were.

The youngest Remnant nodded once, swinging one leg over his motorbike, and starting the engine. It was their cue to leave. Yazoo and Loz each mounted their bikes and Ria was left standing.

"What're you waiting for?" Kadaj asked. "Get on," he ordered, gesturing with his head towards the empty seat behind him.

Ria sighed once, and got on behind him. The sounds of the starting engines of motorbikes filled the forest air, causing the birds to take flight from the trees. Smoke billowed from the exhaust pipes, and Ria coughed at the acrid smell. The brothers revved the engine one more time, and they were off.

vVvVv

"Oooohhh..." Loz howled. "Hundred bottles of pop on the wall, hundred bottles of pop. You take one down..." Loz sang, terribly off key.

Yazoo groaned, glancing back at Loz through the side mirror. The oldest Remnant's singing was definitely _not _going to help him stay sane during this flight. It would be one of those excruciating moments again, where he and Kadaj would have to spend hours wishing they had ear plugs.

"Loz!" Kadaj yelled over the roaring engines, Loz's terrible singing being carried by the wind to his acute hearing senses. "Shut up!"

"He doesn't sound too good," Ria groaned, thumping her head against the back of Kadaj's shoulder, her arms wrapped securely around his waist.

"Tell me about it," Kadaj muttered back in a clearly pissed off tone. "Wanna see a neat trick?" Kadaj asked the brunette riding behind him, louder this time so she would be able to hear him over the wind and Loz's dying howls in the background.

Ria lifted her head that was resting on his shoulder. He was looking back at her. Of course, that was before she realized he wasn't watching where he was driving.

"Watch the road!" She yelled in panic.

Kadaj graced her with one of his cocky smirks, but did as he was yelled at to do.

"Wanna see a neat trick?" Kadaj asked again.

"What trick?" Ria inquired curiously, wincing from Loz's terrible sustained choir voices.

"I'll take that as a yes. Watch."

Without a single foreword, Kadaj accelerated forward, keeping his eyes on the dirt road stretched before them, seeing the countless numbers of pebbles and stones littering the way. Just perfect. In lightning speed, Kadaj's alert eyesight focused on a medium sized rock that would definitely hurt, but wouldn't knock the victim unconscious—depending on the force of the throw. His pupils quickly reverted to vertical slits as he prepared for the bump.

The tires of Kadaj's motorbike bumped against his target, making both of the riders on the vehicle jump at the jarring force. The object sailed in midair, and Kadaj caught it accurately with one hand, the other, holding fast to the handlebar to keep the motorbike steady. The silver-haired teen smirked back at Ria mischievously as he pretended to accidentally let go of the rock, and Kadaj turned his head for the road again, leaving Ria to see what 'neat trick' he had been talking about.

The rock hit Loz squarely on the temple, cutting him off in the middle of an electric guitar riff noise—coming out sounding like a pissed off cat. He was trying hard to imitate such a sound, but to no avail. Apparently, when Kadaj's hit took effect, the results were extremely priceless.

Of all the ways Ria was expecting herself to react, she'd never known she'd throw her head back and laugh, nearly falling off if she hadn't grasped his waist in time. Yazoo saw the whole thing too, and he was grinning madly, obviously taking pleasure.

"What'd you do that for?" Loz cried out over the random noises.

"To shut your dying sounds, that's what!" Kadaj snapped in a teasing tone.

Everyone had their attention focused on the road, therefore, missing Loz's childish pout.

"What's so wrong about singing?" Loz asked innocently.

"Not to kill your joy Loz, but..." Yazoo paused biting his lip as he shouted over the noise. "...you sound like a dying cat. And not just _any_ dying cat. You sound like a dying cat that's being crushed in a large boulder—slowly."

"You really mean it?" Loz cried louder.

Kadaj rolled his eyes and sighed heavily despite the—almost comfortable—weight resting on the back of his left shoulder.

"Of course he did Loz! Why would Yazoo say that if he didn't mean it?!" Kadaj yelled. "...Big baby," the young Remnant added in a mumble.

Ria lifted her head. "I heard that," she commented.

"Don't tell'em," Kadaj replied, sighing heavily. Loz was crying now.

"Kadaj!" Yazoo warned hastily, his older brother senses, setting him off.

"What?" Kadaj shot back innocently.

"That wasn't nice. Look what you did, you made Loz cry," Yazoo called, accelerating to keep up with the Remnant leader.

"You're the one who said he sounds like a dying cat." Kadaj glared ahead.

"I was giving constructive criticism, and besides...I was being honest," Yazoo reasoned out honestly.

"Constructive criticism, Shin-Ra's a**. And since when are _you _an honest person?"

Now Kadaj was being insensitive. He was technically going about 85kmph now, almost normal speed.

"Gee thanks for wounding my ego, Daj." Yazoo droned sarcastically.

"Hey! Don't call me that! It's Ka-daj," he shouted, emphasizing the stresses in his name.

Yazoo rolled his eyes. Ria was finding the whole thing amusing. And the warmth emitting from Kadaj was almost good enough to stop her shivering from the cold breeze blowing her braided hair back.

"Whatever." Yazoo stated.

Kadaj rolled his eyes in frustration, and nearly threw Ria off again when he resumed his breakneck speed until he was leaving his brothers in a cloud of dust. She held on to him for dear life, clinging to him as if he were her momentary lifeline.

"Stop squeezing me will you?" Kadaj told her; lowering his speed so now they were just two people enjoying a windy day. His brothers were still far behind.

"Sorry," she loosened her hold on him, relaxing onto his back once more. "You left them behind."

"They'll catch up. I didn't exactly accelerate and leave them the dust for food so much that I'd lose them," Kadaj shrugged, his muscles flexing controllably near his shoulder blades where Ria was resting her head.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

"About?" he shot back.

"What I said yesterday while conversing with Rufus..."

Kadaj was silent. "About your botched alliance?"

"I guess you can say that..." Ria muttered indignantly.

Kadaj was silent again, focusing on driving through the maze of garbage on the road.

"Were you mad about it?" She asked sheepishly.

"Was..." Kadaj sighed heavily again. "Why would you want to talk about that?" He asked sounding slightly angry.

"I'm just not comfortable having misunderstandings with the people I'm with..." she explained, hoping he'd buy it, and not give away the notion that she hated it when Kadaj was livid at her. Otherwise, he'd try to kill her again.

"Oh... That all?"

"C'mon tell me. I really don't like it when people are mad at me..."

The conversation was abruptly interrupted when Yazoo pulled up beside Kadaj, riding next to him now; Loz came up on his left, silent and not in the best of moods. Did he really take the whole 'sounding like a dying cat' thing so seriously? They were driving through another forest again, this one, had a more comforting woodsy scent though.

The canopy of trees shielded any possible living thing from skyline view. It also served as shade, with bits of the bright glaring noontime sun filtering through spaces between leaves, creating streams of beautiful white light. And the motorbikes were the only things creating noise pollution among the lazy fauna and flora. Was it really a hot day that even animals were tired of coming out?

The group was driving through when Ria caught sight of something so vividly familiar—thanks to the forest for decreasing the speed of the motorbikes.

"Can we pull up over there?" She requested quietly, and Kadaj turned his head to the direction she was pointing to.

Sensing that she was quite right, Kadaj changed course, and as expected, so did his brothers. Moments later, they came to a clearing shrouded with trees, and hidden in the mass of leafy greens and brown trunks stood a worn weathered house made out of cement.

Now Ria knew why this place was so familiar. She'd been here before.


	25. Chapter 24: Haven

**Chapter 24: Haven**

**Deliria's POV**

I blink and stare on ahead from my spot behind Kadaj on the bike. He cut the engine and dismounted. I follow briefly.

This place. That house. Those familiar twists of shrouded vines thick with leaves covering some spaces where trademarks could be. I've been here before...as an Agent three years ago. I'll handle Kadaj and his brothers later, and I ignore them as I take steps to get closer to the dilapidated structure.

My boots make rustling and crunching sounds as I step on dry foliage nearly covering the whole of the forest floor. Moments after, I see myself standing face to face with the mildew coated walls. This house is big because its one of the many scattered all over the planet. This same style and structure, but in various places. Most are in forests where they're easier to be found. As far as I know, most of these Shin-Ra Agents' Emergency Branch Headquarters were in numbers greater than a hundred fifty. After the fall of SOLDIER, most were demolished for reasons I don't know yet.

Reverently, I reach out a bare finger and touch the dirt infested wall. I don't care if my hands get all grimy. Such a thing is keenly related to my past, and it holds more meaning than others think. The wall feels coarse, and dusty beneath my skin.

_I wonder if the logo's still here. _In every Emergency Branch Headquarter (EBH) is the company's logo in miniature size. They can be found somewhere to the extreme bottom right, left wall of the house I think. If my memory serves me right. I can hear the brothers' footsteps behind me, following curiously.

"What is this place?" Yazoo's voice rings out somewhere to my left.

"It's an EBH..."

"Excuse me?" Kadaj retorts quietly.

"What's an EBH?" Another question to answer from Loz.

I sigh exasperatedly. "Emergency Branch Headquarters. It's Shin-Ra's." I explain as I've just found the tiny trademark I was searching for: Shin-Ra's logo in exactly the right place.

"Care to elaborate?" Kadaj suggests as I get to my feet and dust my hands curtly on my jeans.

I know it's not very ladylike, but there isn't a stream near me, is there? I turn to him, making sure my face is devoid of emotion.

"There are thousands of these...all over the planet. Shin-Ra has them scattered. Most are in forests, the average lot's underground where they're less suspicious and a lot safer." I explain.

Kadaj frowns slightly and moves over the leaf covered base. We watch as he brushes his gloved fingers across them. He's probably looking for something. He mumbled something I didn't catch though. Maybe it's not that important.

"After SOLDIER, most were demolished. Especially the underground ones. I wonder how this managed to survive..." I voice my thoughts out loud, and Yazoo stands beside me, joining my contemplating session.

"Probably well covered. The vines speak for themselves."

Yazoo's right. The vines _are _pretty thick and clingy all over the place. Some were even armed with thorns. _Ah, nature. They always find ways to postpone evil human activities._ Such thoughts leave me breathless.

"Let's go inside..." Kadaj orders as he heads for the entrance. From the corner of my eye, I see Loz following in already. And moments later, so does Yazoo.

"Wait!" I call out, and Kadaj turns back to face me.

"Problem?"

"The security machines are probably still active," I bark out, and so good of Kadaj to ignore me and just snort. He turns back to the wood paneled door he'd uncovered on the front of the house earlier.

Years ago, I came here as a thirteen-year old exhausted from a random mission that didn't involve SOLDIER, but Shin-Ra's dirty work instead. We sometimes double as assassins if the Turks are too busy. Anyway, two others were with me—both are older guys. Around 16-17 years of age I think. And being the hotheaded and reckless girl I was back then, I marched in without a damn.

**Normal POV**

[Flashback]

"_This is the place," a blonde boy remarked, checking his GPRS tracking device at the same time._

"_You sure?" a redhead asked, looking doubtful. "It doesn't look... like much."_

"_Yeah...He's right. I mean...We know Shin-Ra has personnel anywhere, but this hardly looks the place..." A brown-haired girl remarked dully._

_The blonde blinked, and looked at the GPRS again. Swallowing the bile that rose to his throat and ignoring the fact that his heart was thumping wildly in his chest, he contemplated the cement walls._

"_Lucio," the redhead stepped toward the blonde, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We're all tired, and dried blood's caking on our fingernails, and I know our deputy head told us to look for EBH or whatever, but I don't exactly trust the place. Look around. I mean, who would put a headquarters in the middle of a frickin' forest?"_

"_Shin-Ra would," the brunette interrupted haughtily, arms folded across her chest._

"_He _did _say it was in a forest," the blonde, known as Lucio, raised an eyebrow at the redheaded male._

_The redhead shrugged in his defense._

"_I'm just telling you I don't trust this place, that's all," the redhead stepped back, and stood next to the girl._

"_Let's go Lucio. There's nothing here," the brunette chided their leader quietly._

"_Kent, Delly..."_

"_Don't call me that!" The girl snapped at him, actually making the redhead, Kent, laugh._

"_Fine. Deliria..." Lucio corrected himself upon the youngest person's outburst._

"_Better..." the girl nodded._

"_Okay. We're all tired, but we gotta give it a shot. I mean, it's the only place Lieutenant told us to go," Lucio shrugged, and then gestured to the structure barely big enough to hold twenty people._

_Before anyone of the Agents could ring out a protest, Lucio's phone began its awful tirade of a ring tone. A chocobo's clucking._

"_Ugh..." a much younger Ria complained. "You gotta change that. ASAP!"_

_Lucio shot her a glare. "I like it." He retorted, before fishing out his phone and flipping it open, putting the device to his ear._

_The two Agents stared at the blonde whose face turned ashen pale, and then morphed into a strange beet red. Kent shook his head in amusement while Ria was smothering a laugh._

"_Y-Yes sir." Lucio affirmed, formally._

_The two other Agents looked at each other and fell silent. Ria gulped. Kent scratched his head worriedly. If their superior was calling, things couldn't be good._

_After a few more minutes, Lucio shut his phone and dropped it back into his pocket. By that time, Ria had taken her gun out of its holster and began shooting at random tree trunks._

"_Stop that! You're wasting ammunition!" Lucio snapped before turning his attention back to the forgotten previous center of attention—the 'headquarters'._

"_So what'd he say?" Kent inquired. Lucio took a deep breath._

"_He asked if we found EBH yet. I said yes."_

"_We're in the right place?" Ria blinked in bewilderment, re-holstering her firearm._

"_Yep..." _

_The group took cautious first steps up to the main entrance of the headquarters. The two boys looked up hesitantly, but the female just looked awfully pissed off._

"_Screw this! I'm getting in. If he says it's the right place, then it is."_

_With that, the brunette marched forward and just managed to get her hands on the doorknob, when bolts of electricity started coursing through her body. Of all the things to happen, electrocution wasn't an ideal thing._

[End of Flashback]

**Deliria's POV**

If memory serves me right, I was electrocuted on the spot right after I wrapped my fingers around the doorknob. I know what you're thinking though: 'Smooth move Ria. You couldn't be anymore clumsier than that'.

Of all the reckless acts I committed, that one was by far the most fatal. That's why this place had managed to imprint itself into my head because it gave me such a great wake up call. From that time on, I've learned to take things cautiously. Kadaj apparently wasn't considering that—even if he _does _have a clear head.

"Yeah right. This place is years old. Probably got broken down during the Great Demolition." Kadaj wonders aloud sarcastically. Seriously, you gotta leave it to him to make up names for tragic events. Geez, he's out of his mind.

"It wasn't a great demolition," I sulk beside Yazoo who turns an amused look at me. "These places were our safe havens once...after missions where we barely got out alive," I mumble under my breath.

Kadaj seems to consider this thought though, because he hesitates just after almost touching the knob, and I let out a breath. He must be thinking that if this place used to be some sort of safe place for us, then it requires tons of security facilities. Well, he's right. I learned that out the hard way.

"Loz, you're big and strong, why don't you try breaking down the door." Kadaj suggested, earning a fearful look from Loz.

But something along the tones of how Kadaj says things like these made it an order. His expression made it clear: all official, and commanding. Very bossy if you ask me.

I pity the big guy after I catch him gulp down nervously as Kadaj steps aside and offers the whole path to him. Loz hobbles along without a word. Yazoo and I stand a good ways away, as I'm no doubt fearing the security stuff might be still on.

Everything happens so fast. One minute, Loz was heaving and grunting as he rams his shoulder on the door, and the next moment, he's lying on the ground in a twitching heap. I blink and look at Kadaj who bites his lip thoughtfully.

"Now we know it's electrically charged," Kadaj speaks, still nibbling on his bottom lip.

_He looks cute doing that. Like a little kid who's made a mistake. _

_What are you thinking about? _

_Nothing!_

"Ya think?" Loz roars, getting up from the ground, leaves clinging to his leather outfit. Yazoo rushes over and helps him up.

"Any idea?" Kadaj looks at me blankly.

"Oh! So _now _you need my help?" I can't help the tiny outburst. First, he acts like he knows every single thing, and the next he's clueless about what to do. Maybe I'd suggest they have an impromptu reelection. Or not.

Kadaj shrugs calmly. "Do any of us here look like somebody who knows about this place?"

"Obviously no. Maybe you should've asked me before you decided to make Loz go test it out!" I snap, spinning my heel towards the direction of the EBH.

"You knew what was going to happen, so why didn't you stop him?" Kadaj hurls in my direction, and I spit. Not a good habit, I know.

But I'm so angry I could eat him whole, that I turn around and face him head on.

"I was unsure, just like you. I was thinking if you were right. Turns out you were WRONG! Some leader you are," I turn back around and begin fussing with the doorframe where electric charges aren't present. _Some leader._

"So we're even..." Kadaj deadpans after I finish tinkering with the door. I open the now perfectly harmless doorknob, and come across the metal door I was expecting earlier.

"Another door?!" Loz groans tiredly.

"Yes, big guy," I can't help the small pun. I just feel so tired after traveling for hours. _What time is it anyway?_ I'm not sure, but I'm hungry is the idea that stands out from the rest in my brain.

Sooner, I press the little black button in the extreme right side. As expected, a hand print scanner is revealed in perfect shape and still working, good as new. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I can feel the Remnants' gazes boring on to the back of my head.

I sigh, and press my ungloved hand into the scanner. The screen turns into a bright cheery shade of blue, meaning it recognizes me. The metal door slides to the side, granting us entrance. I wave them over, and we disappear in the shallowness of a newfound hideout. Hopefully, it'd conceal us as well. Shin-Ra wouldn't mind. After all, they _did _try to bomb out every single one of Emergency Branch Headquarters.


	26. Chapter 25: Comrades

**Chapter 25: Comrades**

**Deliria's POV**

I don't know what to say, really. Judging the current emotions running through my head, I can't decide if I'm frustrated, upset, happy, or just plain angry at the sight that greets us.

Sure, the hideout's small, but _bare_? As in devoid of any furniture, or any useful remains for that matter. I blink several times and start scanning the room ravenously than necessary. Kadaj must be getting the idea that I have obsessive compulsive behavior—though it was never confirmed.

"I don't believe this," I manage to spit out.

"Are you saying that out of pure amazement, or pure distaste?" Someone asks me.

I shrug, without turning to face them. "I don't know... Maybe both."

I finally turn around and glimpse Kadaj walking towards me with an arrogant smirk. Looking at him now, I feel more than enraged that I might actually slap that grin off of his face.

"All that fuss with the door for nothin'..." He remarks unfazed.

_I hate you... _"So, since there's nothing here, should we stay or go?" I ask curtly, thinking it's best to be polite. I don't think I can keep this up for long.

But to my shock, Kadaj is looking at me perplexed and probably taken aback. "Stay? I thought we were just going on a pit stop..."

"Pit stop? Gaia, no..." I manage a stifled laugh. "I thought we needed a place to stay and hideout for a while," I shrug, still feeling uncomfortable with the look he's giving me though.

"I thought it's one of the many times you delay us for nothing."

My eyes grow big as saucer plates at the punch line. Now he's getting on my nerves. I pout and slug his shoulder as he stumbles back, and laughs at me.

As absurd and as unbelievable as it sounds, it's actually kind of fun. And a sound that I least expect comes bubbling out of my mouth as I join him. We laugh, stumbling on each other like a couple of drunken teenagers—seeing as we _are _teens.

**Normal POV**

As the four teens entered the headquarters, Loz could never resist looking around. The place was bare, and gloomy. It was exactly the kind of place he was sure Kadaj would like. Yazoo began wandering off and the oldest Remnant couldn't resist getting a good look around despite the place's barrenness. Ria stood further away from them though, in awe.

"I don't believe this," she speaks out.

"Are you saying that out of pure amazement, or pure distaste?" Loz asked nonchalantly, earning a shrug from the brunette.

"I don't know... Maybe both."

With that said, Loz wandered off just like Yazoo. He entered the kitchen where the cupboards were aligned neatly, each were bare as the living room, disappointing the expectant Remnant. His stomach practically growled for food. Maybe he could actually convince Kadaj for them to go grocery shopping.

Loz walked back to the main room when he heard two people teasing each other. The two people were no doubt Kadaj and Ria. The burly man silently hid himself behind a wall and watched his little brother. He was no expert, but Loz could tell where it was all going. Yazoo would throw him off of his motorbike, if those two weren't flirting.

And confirming his grand thoughts, Kadaj throws a taunting punch line, that takes Ria by surprise. She slugged the Remnant leader's shoulder, and Loz continued to watch as the two teens begin laughing and stumbling on each other like drunks.

vVvVv

The quartet sat around the dining room table, probably waiting on nothing. Yazoo sat with his head n his hands; Loz was chewing on the inside of his cheek; Kadaj sat back sloppily on one of the chairs, arms folded across his chest, and both legs propped up on the dining table; Ria couldn't stop staring at the cupboards.

"Now what do we do?" Ria asked, yawning at the same time.

Nobody answered.

"I'm bored!" Loz whined ten minutes later.

Kadaj heaved a heavy sigh. "You're _always_ bored!"

Yazoo lifted his head, and glared at Kadaj pointedly. The youngest acknowledged the cruel gesture with a snort, indicating he wasn't taking any of it seriously.

"I guess we'll just sit here, starve to death, and Shin-Ra won't have to worry about us anymore," Ria droned sarcastically.

"Starving isn't an option," Kadaj pointed out. "We'll look for water in the morning."

The Remnant leader pushed back his chair rather noisily, and ignored the gazes trained on him from the trio left in the kitchen. Kadaj stood up and disappeared from sight before their eyes, earning a gasp from the girl.

"How did he...?" Ria sputtered.

Yazoo sighed quietly. "He can teleport." He said it bluntly like you would say: 'He drinks water ten times a day.'

"Kadaj is starting to get an eight point five on the weird scale. How much is he capable of? He can shift to black mist, and teleport. Is there something else I should be warned about?" Ria chatted in a tirade of words, almost out of breath.

"Not my place to tell. Kadaj doesn't really enjoy revealing his capabilities. He only does things around us, and opponents he'd likely kill. Consider yourself lucky he trusts you enough to show you," Yazoo explained.

Loz however, was as silent as a rock, and Ria guessed he was falling asleep by now. She glanced at him. Scratch that. He _is _already asleep, head lolling of to the side, mouth open, and with drool to come along later.

"Tired yet?" Yazoo asked gently, pushing back the chair softly as he got up.

Ria stood up, and stretched. "Yeah... Guess so."

"Do you guys have rooms in this place?" Yazoo inquired tiredly.

"Yeah, I think we do...years ago when this hideout was still complete with the works," Ria explained just as Yazoo grinned.

The two were making their way to the bare main room when an alert and snappy Kadaj stalked over to meet them. He had Souba gripped tightly on his left hand. Something was wrong.

vVvVv

It was dark out, and the wind howled mercilessly at the trees. It could've been classified as a horror-movie scene, but not in his case. It was just another normal night in the woods, accompanied with nocturnal sounds.

He sighed, keeping his knapsack slung over his right shoulder, but he quickened his pace in a haste to get back to his 'house'. Shining his flashlight over the dirt road to his house, he cursed. Why did he have to shop for so many things? He should've thought twice. Having no one with him was getting hard enough.

But he was almost there though, despite the luggage that weighed him down. Entering the clearing in utmost silence, he made his way quickly to the lone structure that he had been sheltering in for years now. He would stay here as long as _they _thought every single one of them were gone. Until then, he'd stay in this safe haven of his.

He heaved the pack down, grunting as he did so. Deactivating the security systems, the wooden door opened, revealing the metal made one. He got his hand scanned, and after waiting for the machine's instant recognition, the threshold gave way. The boy entered. The house was gloomy, but there was light in the prop kitchen.

Now that's just confusing. He frowned. He couldn't remember leaving the lights on. It was much too dangerous to do so. It could be a cause of wild fire, or plain getting captured, even though he double sealed the windows. Blinking in a rapid movement, he sluggishly made his way across the bare main room when movement stopped him short. Behind him.

"Who's there?!" He demanded bravely, and subtly reached beneath his trench coat for his gun.

No answer. The silence seemed deafening, as he drew his gun out, cocking it and aiming at empty air. How had an intruder found his way here? It could just be a drifter. But that was as dangerous as letting a thief inside the house.

"More like who the hell are _you_!" A threatening voice sneered from behind.

He whipped around to find empty air. He cursed. Where was he? It was a male's voice, but he couldn't be _that_ fast. Everything seemed to happen so fast. His head snapped back, grounding his teeth into his tongue. An iron grip holding his hands behind his back. A double-bladed sword along with its holder materialized out of nowhere. His gun, abandoned and forgotten as it lay on the floor. His captor kicked the firearm away.

"What do you want?" He managed through a mouth filling with blood. He spat on the wood paneled floor.

"Got him!" His captor yelled. There were more? His eyes widened in fear.

Three figures appeared from the kitchen doorway. The light emanating from the kitchen highlighted their faces slightly. One of them reached out and flicked the light switch in the main room on.

It might've made him angry to see the intruders in his house, but seeing the faces of these people, he was only filled with confusion. The two taller figures were men, and a girl was standing between them, her face contorted in what might've been recognition. He blinked rapidly despite the pain that dug onto his back.

He knew that face. It was achingly familiar. Brown braided hair. Purple eyes. She matured since the last time he saw her, but it was her nonetheless. But who were the men?

Gulping down the bile that rose to his throat, he voiced the only thing running through his short-circuited mind at the moment.

"Deliria? That you?"


	27. Chapter 26: Reunion

**A/N: In the previous chapter, there was a stranger entering their hideout, and now, I shall introduce one of my very important OCs into the story-aside from Ria.**

* * *

**Chapter 26: Reunion**

**Normal POV**

"Deliria? That you?"

Ria stared back, wide-eyed and couldn't believe what she was seeing. Kadaj mirrored her expression, but with anger and confusion greater than her own. She remembered now.

"T-Trevor?" She stood rooted to her spot. "Kadaj let him go," she spoke softly, and surprisingly, the Remnant obliged.

"Ria?"

"Trevor," she spoke with recognition and relief, and in a blink of an eye, she had rushed forward and threw herself in her friend's arms.

The boy was taken aback, but returned her embrace nonetheless. How long had it been since he last saw Ria? It had been years now. Of all things he could imagine, she'd find her way to him.

"So it _is_you," he whispered, holding her head to his chest. "Three years..."

Her hold on him tightened almost to the point where he could only afford small breaths. She couldn't help herself. She missed him so much. Trevor was like a brother to her. Their relationship had never been one to be overshadowed by anything, not even by distance.

"Last time I saw _you_, you were still chubby..." he teased.

"Shut up," Ria shot back, punching his arm playfully.

Kadaj stared at the two friends' reunion. Ria was holding this guy like he was some long lost treasure. The Remnant leader couldn't help feeling a little jealous as the brunette subtly laid a kiss to the newcomer's cheek. His eyes narrowed even more, when this Trevor tousled her hair playfully. Yazoo and Loz were nowhere to be found. They must have disappeared at the first sign of a happy reunion.

"What are you doing here? _How_did you find this place? Who're these guys? They kind'a look suspicious," he whispered the last sentence, making Ria giggle.

"First thing's first. Let's get comfortable." She broke away from him.

"Let's go underground. The real hideout's down there. My privy place," he grinned comically at the now enthusiastic girl.

Trevor went ahead, Ria and Kadaj following him. Somehow, the tiring evening was turning into a cozier one—for Ria at least. She just couldn't believe her utmost luck. Trevor lived here now. How lucky they were to stumble at such a place. Kadaj broke her reverie however when he spoke inaudibly.

"You know this guy?" The Remnant frowned.

"Of course. He's a fellow Agent. _And_my best friend," Ria pointed out happily, skipping toward Trevor, and leaving Kadaj in a cloud of jealousy.

"Thought he was your boy friend," the Remnant leader muttered, glowering as she threaded her arm through Trevor's.

The couple up front entered a dark room, one the brothers hadn't noticed before. Kadaj left them be, and headed towards the dining room where he was sure Yazoo and Loz were residing. He would gladly leave the lovers behind to catch up on things. He wasn't _that_sadistic—or was he?

vVvVv

"Your real hideout's underground?" Ria asked enthusiastically, looking at the man as he produced a key from the folds of his coat.

"In case you've forgotten, Shin-Ra keeps the whole Agents business underground," Trevor smirked, stamping on the tiled floor, looking for hollow sounds.

"But this place wasn't so bare," she reasoned, joining his search.

"That's probably my fault. I moved everything underground," the dark haired boy grinned, his boot slamming down into a tile that produced a sound different from the others.

Trevor knelt down, and began working on prying the loose piece of stone so could they get it over with. And for the first time since she joined Trevor's gait back at the main room, she hadn't noticed that Kadaj had disappeared.

"So who _are_those guys?" Trevor asked, still working on the stone.

"Kadaj and his brothers, Yazoo and Loz..." She replied nonchalantly.

'_Kadaj? Now why does that name sound so familiar?_' Trevor thought in silence. And then it hit him.

"Hold on! Back up! _Kadaj_?" He asked the girl who nodded innocently. "Kadaj and his gang? The mini-Sephiroths?" He whispered cautiously, checking the doorway for sudden appearances.

Ria shrugged. "Not really, but I guess you could say that."

"How'd you end up with them?" He asked lowly, proceeding to lift the stone from place.

"It's a long story. And not an easy one to tell, for that matter," she managed a small smile that had the older boy frowning.

"I don't trust them. They've caused all sorts of trouble in Edge," he remarked, then elevated the stone, setting aside the slab of cement.

A trap door leading underground was revealed. Trevor paused from his conversation with Ria to slide the key into the keyhole, granting the Agents entrance to the lair. Once open, he stepped aside, one arm outstretched towards the empty space before them.

"Ladies first..." He added with a gracious bow, to which Ria answered with a roll of her eyes.

With that said, Trevor followed after Ria began descending toward the darkness below. Moments later, both Agents found themselves at the base of the stairs, the room shrouded in darkness.

"Trev? You have a flashlight?" Came Ria's voice from somewhere to his right.

"Yeah. Hold on a sec. The main switch is somewhere to your side, I think," he remarked, the sound of things being shuffled around in a knapsack, breaking the silence. "Now where did I put that thing?" he murmured, and dug around some more. "Aha!"

"About time," she piped exasperatedly.

Trevor pulled out the flashlight, and switched it on. Ria barely had enough time to shield her face from the harsh glare aimed straight at her.

"Watch where you shine that thing," she warned.

"Oh there you are," he grinned, shining the flashlight around the empty room, stopping when it came to rest on a big metal box attached to the wall.

He walked over to it, and flicked the thing. Ria blinked rapidly at the bright lights now surrounding the room. He switched the emergency light off as he gave her eyes time to adjust to the sudden bright light. Once her vision had cleared, though, Ria found herself not believing the sight before her eyes, and for the second time that night, she found herself bewildered once more.

vVvVv

Yazoo and Loz were talking when Kadaj entered the dining room. They both stopped when Kadaj emerged from the doorway, something's gotta be up, but the youngest Remnant was too distressed to even demand for answers.

"Hey, Kadaj." Loz greeted.

The youngest didn't look up though, his head hung tiredly in what looked to be a depressed slouch.

"What do you want Loz?" Kadaj demanded harshly, earning a glare from Yazoo.

"Where's Ria?" Yazoo inquired, flipping back strands of silver hair from his face. Kadaj looked back at him wearily.

"With that guy... Her 'best friend'," the Remnant leader spat, looking out the dust encrusted window pane in the kitchen.

The outside was barely visible, just twists and turns of dark green vines that morphed to black from the night. The leaves being slapped against the glass gently by the wind blowing outside, created inaudible tapping noises, only a person with genetically enhanced senses could possibly pick up.

"Where are they?" Yazoo asked again. Kadaj mumbled back something incoherently. "Uh... Pardon?"

"They were saying something about some underground hideout... Whatever. Guess you could go check it out," Kadaj shrugged.

Yazoo rolled his eyes, and sauntered out of the room in three strides. Kadaj doubted he would even find it difficult to look for the crappy door that'd lead underground. He smirked. Kadaj just hoped Trevor and Ria were welcoming enough to let him in. Loz on the other hand, was looking at him strangely.

"What's the big idea?!" Kadaj snarled after Yazoo had gone.

Loz just smirked, and shook his head. "I'll just wish you still remember our bet. I think I might just be winning," Loz grinned playfully.

Kadaj put his game face on, sending a malicious smirk the eldest Remnant's way. "In your dreams Loz. Not a chance."

The Remnant leader smirked, leaving the room, following Yazoo's general direction with Loz tailing behind him.

vVvVv

Trevor had just finished showing Ria around the 'basement' as the dark-haired man liked to call it. After the tour however, Ria felt dumb for not even figuring it out. The underground stretched for miles, as wide as the mass of land floating in an ocean. Trevor was only smart enough to make a lair underground big enough to house his belongings and the works, and not causing a massive cave-in.

Well, her co-Agent's underground haven isn't what you'd expect it. There was a fully working kitchen, a dining room with a table that could seat at least eight. There was also a living room, where the flat-screen TVs, audio components, and bookshelves were located. Problem was there was only one couch, but there was a big comfy rug sitting in the middle with four beanie bags in front of the TV. Adjoining to that room was a large bedroom where Trevor slept. Beyond the bathroom was a secret doorway leading to the large office where the Agents used to plan and execute missions. That room was even bigger than the main room, about thrice its size.

Ria had no idea how Trevor had even managed to place pipes underground, but it helps when your best friend's an all around workman. The walls were painted a light blue that gave off a fresh feeling. The lights could be dimmed if wanted.

"So what do you think baby Liria? Trevor asked, as the brunette smiled in response to his old endearment.

"Your lair's more like a frickin' suite!" She exclaimed, arms outstretched above her head as she twirled once and then fell onto the soft leather couch Trevor had moved underground from above.

"Glad you like it," he sat down on the edge of the couch just as she sat upright. He tousled her hair playfully.

Both fell silent afterwards, awkward was settling in, but Trevor wasn't giving it a chance to inch its way to their mini reunion.

"Aren't you going to tell me about them?"

She didn't have to ask about what he meant. She knew he meant her alliance with Kadaj and his brothers. For the record, she never hid anything from him. Not from Trevor Nixon, who was like a brother to her, her best friend, and her overly protective guy. She'd never been in love with him, but their relationship was enough to make other people wonder. But no. She'd never look at him that way, neither would he to her.

"Liria?" Trevor cocked his head to the side, smiling at her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." she smiled back at him.

"It's okay if you don't wanna tell me," he rubbed her cheek with the pad of his palm. "I understand."

Ria shook her head against the warmth of his hand on her face. He dropped it, however when she bit her lip, contemplating something.

"I _do_want to tell you. About everything. You have no idea how hard it's been to survive a day with those psychos," she elbowed his ribs jokingly as she stifled a small giggle.

And so she did. Ria told him everything, starting from the beginning. She told him about how Kadaj had kidnapped her during one of her private investigations. She told him about how Kadaj had managed to hook her into their mission, explaining it to her best friend from the first to the last bit of detail. She ended with how they were thinking about looking for a place to stay for a while, and they'd ended up here.

At the end of her story, Trevor shook his head. "It's almost unbelievable. What you've managed to uncover of Shin-Ra I mean."

"You do know about it right?" Ria whispered, and he nodded once, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yeah. It's been bothering me too. After Meteor. I heard there were five left. What might've happened to the others," he shook his head, "I have no idea. At least I know the two of us are part of the five."

"But who knows if the three are alive," she shrugged, her eyes glazed with worry.

"You're right..."

"Well," she beamed, an idea forming into her mind, "...since we found each other. Wanna join me on my investigation? Kadaj and the others won't mind really. They just want a normal life...for now."

"Hah! You bet!" Trevor flashed his killer smile at her, and engulfed her in a tight hug. "I have to let you know though. I've been conducting research too. Kind'a like your private investigation, but I don't know how much you've uncovered. You need to tell me tomorrow, so I can tell you about what I've found. Who knows, maybe we've both discovered some similarities."

Ria nodded enthusiastically when Trevor's once cheery smile morphed into an unpleasant frown.

"Trev, what's wrong?" Ria asked, seeing how her friend had sobered.

"Nothing. I was just thinking. Shin-Ra's been up to something lately, and Reno has been contacting me frequently. The recent one's asking for help regarding funeral arrangements."

Ria's eyes widened at the last part of Trevor's explanation, remembering how she and the Remnants had fought back on an ambush intended to take her life.

"That was probably our bad," she chewed on her bottom lip slightly, peeking at Trevor from under her side bangs.

"You caused the massive massacre at Healin?" He asked with wide eyes.

"Rufus started it. He called me for a private meeting, only to end up getting ambushed. I hate to admit, but I'm glad I let Kadaj and his gang trail me around. I was ambushed, but he came for me."

Trevor saw her regretful expression, and he smiled gently. "Hey. Don't worry about it. I don't blame you for anything. To be honest, I'm sick of Shin-Ra these days. They're getting antsy, and starting to get suspicious." He sighed exasperatedly.

Ria smiled sadly, as she started fidgeting with the end of her braid. Trevor was so understanding, and was really brotherly, no malice at all.

"So tell me... Do you fancy any one of them?" He smirked when this question caught the brunette totally off guard.

"F-Fancy who?" She asked, confusion all over her teenage features.

Trevor rolled his eyes. "I know you baby Liria. I know when you look at a guy and find him attractive. You've been acting quite the same with Drake Daire. Don't you think?"

Ria's eyes traveled to the fuzzy carpet, a blush creeping to her pale cheeks. Okay, Trevor knew her too well, and was familiar with her feelings almost all the time. She shouldn't have been surprised, but she was.

"Drake's long forgotten," she blushed slightly, looking at her best friend hopefully. "And to be honest, Yazoo's slightly hinting me on a motive."

His eyes widened. "He likes you?"

Ria stared at him exasperatedly, failing to hide the knowing smile. "Trev, you tune in to gossip like a girl."

"One of my qualities I'm _essentially_ proud of," he grinned toothily. "Details."

Ria laughed at Trevor's eagerness. She knew well enough never to doubt that her best friend was straight. Just so happens, that Trevor's the type of guy who's as nosy as an old woman. It annoyed her at times, but it sure could get amusing when he's acting all comical.

"From what I've seen so far, I thought you were hitting on Kadaj," he teased, poking her playfully.

She gasped in mortification, and smacked his shoulder with a cushion she snagged from the couch. He laughed heartily as he shoved her off.

"How dare you!" Ria screeched, smacking him with the cushion once more.

Trevor was still laughing however. "Aw c'mon… My baby sister's hitting on two of the most feminine guys I've seen! Not exactly your everyday puppy love stories," he laughed some more with her still tackling him.

"Nothing's going on between any of us. But I'll let you in on a little secret…" she poked his ribs playfully as he leaned closer for her to whisper.

"Let's hear it," Trevor chirped.

Ria feigned hesitation, knowing how Trevor got antsy with all the juicy details. She loved making him squirm with curiosity.

"Oh but…you're sure you still wanna breach my privacy? I mean… it's kind'a rude," she teased, and he slapped her arm playfully. Ria threw her head back and let loose a laugh.

"Shut up sister. I know you're dying to tell me," he urged, sounding bi which only made her laugh even more.

"Fine, fine. Calm down and I'll tell."

She drew in a sharp breath, letting the suspense build, and partly because she wasn't even sure if she was ready to tell someone about it yet. But Trevor was her best friend, and was her absolute source of good advice when it came to love. His were always based on experience. She was definitely going to tell him.

"I…"

"Ria?! Are you in here?"

'_CRAP!_'


	28. Chapter 27: Introductions

**Chapter 27: Introductions**

**Normal POV**

Kadaj smirked, seeing the slab of concrete pushed to the side. Yazoo wasn't anywhere, so he must've gone down there by now. Loz was closely following him. It was relatively close to past midnight, and the minutes that had just gone by were enough time for Ria and Trevor's little reunion.

Loz gulped. "They're down _there_?" he asked with big eyes.

Kadaj rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark you big baby. I want to talk to Ria now!" Kadaj demanded, descending the dimly lit lair.

vVvVv

Speak of Yazoo, and the Remnant shall appear. Ria sighed, and Trevor and frowned. At that instant, the female stood up instantly.

"Do I _have _to welcome him in?" Trevor asked like a little kid.

Ria gave him a look that said: they're-with-us-now-you-know. At this, the dark haired boy sighed frustratingly. It was getting late and it was best to settle in for the night for now. He and Ria would converse with the Remnants in the morning.

Just as thoughts cross her mind, a confused Yazoo had wandered into the room where Trevor and Ria were. He spotted them, and didn't say anything; just stood at the doorway and stared while standing as still as a statue.

"Are you gonna stare at us all night?" Ria joked, effectively rousing a smile to Yazoo's features.

He walked into the room, fully aware of Trevor's wary gaze. Yazoo gave him an intimidating nod that set the dark-haired man on edge. Ria appeared unfazed, and just returned the genuine smile that so rarely came from the cold Remnant, but Ria knew well enough about the feelings he hid for her.

"Trevor," the man beside Ria outstretched his hand for a shake with the Remnant.

Yazoo nodded, his silver hair bobbing unsteadily as he returned Trevor's handshake, gripping a bit more forcefully. The males broke apart while Trevor sneakily wrung his hands off the grip the Remnant possessed.

"Where's Kadaj?" Ria asked, looking up at the Remnant who was at least ten inches taller than her.

"Up there... I came down to find you," he smirked, the male Agent scoffed, glaring at the door leading to his bedroom.

Before anyone could say anything, a loud male voice was heard drifting from the room above, followed by heavy footsteps and a deep voice. Yazoo sighed. Kadaj and Loz had found their way in. It didn't take long for the two other Remnants to appear in the doorway.

"Took you guys long enough," Ria huffed, moving to introduce Trevor more properly as she dragged him along.

"Yeah... Some of us are just nyctophobic," Kadaj smirked cruelly at Loz who pouted much to everyone's amusement.

Ria's gaze traveled to Loz who joined Yazoo on one of the bean bags.

"Let's get some rest. We've got a lot to talk about in the morning," Trevor ordered coldly; a comment that made the Remnant leader wonder just who put this guy in charge.

"I think that's a good idea," Ria nodded once.

Trevor sighed. "Alright... I'll sleep in my own room. Ria can take the spare room, and you three can sleep here," he remarked, a hand on his hip.

Ria pursed her lips, unsure as to how the Remnants would react to this. She half expected Kadaj to wring Trevor's neck out upon seeing the look the silver haired teen was directing at her friend's way. The Remnant regarded him carefully, like he was reading the Agent.

"Objections?" Trevor raised one dark brow.

"None," Kadaj answered just as coldly.

"Good night gentlemen. And to you too Ria," he nodded at the brunette, suddenly so formal. "I'll see you all in the morning. We've a lot to discuss."

The people left behind watched as the Agent entered his room and shut the door quietly. Loz and Yazoo just sat there, not saying a word. Loz was already asleep of course, and Yazoo was on the verge of drifting off. Kadaj and Ria were left standing in the main room.

"Can we really trust that guy?" He questioned, folding his arms across his chest.

"You act like I don't know him well enough to trust him," she shot back, he shrugged, and she sighed. "Kadaj, he's my..."

"Best friend," he finished for her, locking eyes with her for a moment, "I know... You told me. I think you know by now that I'm starting to trust you," her face brightened at his words, a bit moved with them actually, "...though I don't like it," Ria glared at him, "But it's the best for all of us for now."

They were silent after a long while after those words. The brunette just stood there, unmoving, almost glued to her spot as she regarded Kadaj whose eyes were scanning the main room.

"I'm getting some rest. We'll all talk in the morning," she nodded once and shuddered as she walked away feeling the youngest Remnant's stare drilling onto her back.

vVvVv

"So, you're telling me, that Shin-Ra's scheming on reviving Sephiroth," Trevor pointed out at the four young adults seated around the dining room table.

The dark-haired Agent pinched the bridge of his nose. The story was almost unbelievable. AVALANCHE destroyed Sephiroth, and Shin-Ra didn't have any qualms with the idea, so why try and bring him back now? It really wasn't making sense. The Remnants were mostly silent during the whole conversation, just agreeing or disagreeing in forms of nods, or uncharacterized grumbling—which mostly came from Kadaj. Other than that, everything was okay. Loz was basically amused with a tea bag. Yazoo was just bored out of his mind. Kadaj was appearing to ignore the whole thing, but really wasn't. Ria and Trevor were really the only ones discussing.

"No doubt about it. He clued me in on it himself. He thought I was going to agree and join him. He was wrong and that's how the Healin massacre really started," Ria explained, sipping the hot chocolate in her mug.

"But how can they revive Sephiroth? He's basically dead—that's almost a self-written fact, and Cloud took him down. If they _really _want to make another Sephiroth, that means getting another lab baby and retracing the procedures from the Jenova Project..." Trevor pointed out.

"And you know this because..." Ria trailed off.

Trevor shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? I did research just like you." Ria pursed her lips. "Just in a different subject," the man added as an afterthought. "Are you sure they're really trying to bring back Sephiroth?"

"They had the chance to annihilate Jenova two years ago, so why didn't they do it? Obviously, they want to preserve her for further experimentation, and that's exactly what Rufus told me." Ria confirmed, glancing at the Remnants.

"It's a bit irrelevant," Trevor commented.

"You said it yourself. To recreate Sephiroth means retracing the procedures of the Jenova Project. I'm no expert in Shin-Ra experiment dirt, but the project title speaks for itself. To make another Sephiroth means infusing a newborn infant with Jenova's cells..." Ria explained, catching Kadaj's attention in the process.

"And exposing the baby to loads of Mako energy—which can have the risk of Mako poisoning." Trevor pointed out objectively.

"Right..."

"Now the question is why would they want another Sephiroth? The first one was bad enough already," Trevor explained, running a hand through his hair.

Ria shrugged. "Beats me. _If _they _are _intent on bringing Sephiroth back, the question is how. Mako reactors were shut down two years ago, and Jenova's dead. Maybe Rufus has just gone insane just like Hojo. Besides, they aren't the only ones who want Sephiroth back," she glared at Kadaj.

"What?" The Remnant interjected. "It's Mother's will." Ria sighed heavily. "If Shin-Ra wanted Sephiroth back, why didn't they just cooperate with us, and once Reunion is done, we'll rule the world, and then I'll have that Shin-Ra guy assassinated. Why didn't I think of that?" Kadaj mused enthusiastically.

"Do shut up," Ria muttered indignantly and Kadaj cast her a glare. The female turned to Trevor. "I'm thinking this is another one of his psychotic episodes. OW!"

Ria yelped after Kadaj lightly smacked the back of her head. Trevor shook his head amidst his amusement. Loz was staring as Kadaj and Ria bickered. And he thought: '_Yup... Those two are definitely flirting..._'

"Can we get serious again?" Trevor managed after smothering a laugh.

"Right... but I don't get it... Really..."

"Doesn't that explain why Shin-Ra created the Remnants?" Kadaj raised an eyebrow, participating on the conversation now.

"You guys were just a link, not much after that," Trevor argued, staring the Remnant down.

"Why do you think I had the stigma infested children kidnapped?" Kadaj snapped back.

"So it _was _you!" Trevor exclaimed.

"Took you long enough. Anybody infected with the stigma shares Mother's mimetic legacy," Kadaj declared proudly.

"And by 'Mother's mimetic legacy' you mean?" Trevor inquired, setting his cup down.

"The Sephiroth gene," Kadaj answered coolly. "Reunion was supposed to happen, but they killed Mother," the teen seethed.

"And you're upset about it? You don't know how happy everyone else is!" Trevor exclaimed, grinning.

Kadaj looked genuinely hurt, seeing how the remarks had been against everything he ever believed in. But then again, he wasn't so sure anymore. Jenova _had_ manipulated him countless times, and Ria even pointed that out to him that night he told her everything in the Northern Crater. He was seriously in a flux right now, and wanted to be neutral, but Jenova's hold on him seemed so binding that he couldn't even turn down the fact that he still wanted to make her happy. Was she really even dead? He knew his life mission, his ties to Sephiroth, his real purpose, but what then?

Without even meaning to, he found himself standing up from his place, unconsciously initiating a walk-out of some sort. Ria saw it of course—as did everyone else, and watched as he ascended the stairs leading out of the lair.

"I think you just hurt his feelings," Ria told Trevor who appeared smug despite Kadaj's actions.

"You think?" Yazoo pointed out sarcastically in a cold, flat voice.

"I'll get him," Ria sighed and went after the Remnant leader.


	29. Chapter 28: Questions

**Chapter 28: Questions**

**Normal POV**

The forest was quiet today—as always, and it did nothing but made Kadaj feel even worse off.

"_The Sephiroth gene. Reunion was supposed to happen, but they killed Mother."_

"_And you're upset about it? You don't know how happy everyone else is!" _

Kadaj sighed, shaking his head. None of those words had affected him; it just made him think twice. Sure, he was still upset over losing Mother, but strangely, he also felt more at ease. It had been so long since he'd been at peace; for once with nothing bothering him, no voice inside his deranged head telling him what to do, and who to kill.

He was a leader, that he knew, but he was just a regular seventeen-year old boy. Back when he was a child, he'd never see himself as someone capable of such violence and brutality. A much younger and naïve Kadaj would think he would grow up, graduate high school with a couple of friends, and get a regular job like any normal adult. He'd fall in love, get married, have kids, grow old, die with his wife. That was the basis for a regular, normal life in the planet for most people.

Honestly, he wasn't upset about being a Remnant, nor did he question Mother's judgment to appoint him as the leader over his two older brothers who might've known better. He simply accepted that heavy responsibility, and lived with it. He didn't complain because all he ever wanted back then was to make her happy. All that changed when they'd gotten to Mother before him and his brothers did. But it wasn't a complete failure.

After all, if Mother wasn't dead, he'd never felt this way—strangely at peace, and developing confusing feelings for a certain girl he'd abducted. He could see it too; he could sense it. It was emanating from Yazoo every time his older brother would look at Ria. Was that really _it_? Was that what people called the sentimental feeling to protect someone with your life? To sacrifice your personal happiness to see the object of your affection basking in glee?

It's so confusing. The basic signs and symptoms were barely visible for now, but Kadaj knew he was beginning to trust her. And trust was one of the earlier signs that you're feeling _it_. Another thing was that he liked seeing her happy, always wanted to see her smile. Other times he'd hurt her feelings, it sort of made him feel guilty—that he was the reason why she was sad. It's all terribly confusing. In normal circumstances, Kadaj might even be tempted to confide in Yazoo—his brother who knew his way in almost anything—but that would only reveal a weakness. And he wasn't supposed to be weak.

He was supposed to know what to do in the worst of situations. He'd done all sorts of difficult stuff before. He'd break in to labs, steal information, abduct people who had leads to his target, kill without a conscience, but why was he worrying about some confusing emotions that threatened him to literally throw himself off a cliff. Gaia, why was he feeling this way?

Kadaj continued his way quietly through the foliage. He wasn't bothering to be quiet, but it was simply a habit. He always moved like a cat; make no sound; keep in mind that he had prey scampering away at the first sign of a predator.

"Kadaj?"

He cussed under his breath and began to move faster, and—if even possible—quieter through the forest. It was her. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her, he just wanted to be alone to think—for now. If she was going to show up, he'd no doubt spill his thoughts to her all over again.

"Kadaj?"

There it was again. Her voice echoed through the trees, and magnified rapidly with his extremely accurate hearing. How could she catch up so fast? Either way, she wasn't supposed to find him. He leaped up a tree in ghostly silence just as she came to the spot where he was standing a few seconds ago. He watched her searching for him, and a voice in the back of his mind told him to stop running.

"Kadaj?" She called again, cupping her hands over her mouth.

The Remnant sighed, and dropped down lithely from the low lying branch he was hiding in. He landed behind her, and he lightly tapped her shoulder. Ria yelped in surprise, her reflexes automatically throwing a punch at her attacker's head. He evaded the attack with a swift dodge, and it was then she realized who it was.

"Oh... Sorry, I didn't see you..." she apologized quickly.

"No problem. It's my fault I startled you," he shrugged. '_What?!_'

"I want you to know Trevor didn't really mean that. He should've been more sensitive," she started, her eyes unconsciously roaming his facial features.

"I just went outside to think," he reasoned quietly, giving up and plopping down in the leaf covered ground.

Ria sat cross-legged next to him, leaning her back against the sturdy tree trunk behind him. The sun's rays filtering through the spaces between the leaves were beautiful.

"What did you come out here to think of?" Ria asked without turning to Kadaj.

"Lots of things. My connection to Mother for instance, and our alliance," he finished. There it went. Kadaj scowled in his head. He just spilled the main ideas to her.

"She's not your Mother, Kadaj," Ria pointed out, turning to him to judge his reaction.

He closed his eyes. "I know... I'm just used to it. Do you really think she was just using me?" He whispered.

"You deserve better," she started, gazing into his serpentine eyes. "Do you really enjoy taking people's lives?"

Good question. Did he? Kadaj thought about his answer for a moment. With regards to taking life, he really didn't mind. He could kill without a conscience, but to be honest, it _did _make him sick at times especially when he knew the person didn't deserve to die—in his hands for that matter. Instead of answering Ria's hanging question, he answered something entirely different.

"Why are you asking me that question?" He asked, and she was silent. "To be honest, I only kill if it's necessary." There. She got the answer she was waiting for.

"Necessary?" She asked, gazing deep into his eyes, and he nodded once. "She's been manipulating you. Tell me, if you wanted anything in this whole planet, what would that be?" She asked, her mind drifting to earlier thoughts.

"For someone to care about me... for who I really am..." He trailed off.

"Thank you."

Kadaj snapped his head towards her in bewilderment, his wide eyes giving away the shock he just received. What was she grateful for?

"For what?" He asked, regaining his composure.

"For telling me. It's a pretty brave thing to do. You've trusted me with enough secrets already," she commented, smiling faintly to her spoken statement.

"It seems I have," he sighed, picking at a fraying edge of a leaf.

"You didn't have to tell me, if you didn't want to," she chided him, but he shook his head.

"I'm glad I did. You're the only person who's ever come this close to knowing most of my thoughts," Kadaj chuckled quietly, crumpling the leaf and throwing if off to the side.

"You ready to go back now?" She asked quietly, to which he replied to the spoken question with a nod.

To say the least, that sort of alone time was pretty quick. Still, unanswered questions lurked at the surface of his thoughts, and the Remnant figured maybe he could figure them all out later, but maybe now just wasn't the right time. And since when was _he_ a fan of waiting around for the right time?

To distract himself, Kadaj stared at Ria as she picked her way expertly back into their hideout where the others were waiting. Hopefully, Gaia would have mercy so the meeting wouldn't continue. Maybe he'd have a headache after all.

vVvVv

The Remnants were still in the main room, watching television. Honestly, she'd never seen the trio look so amused before. Their reactions reminded her absurdly of little kids crowding around the TV, the light illuminating their innocent faces in the gloom. But Remnant fantasies aside, she had to talk to Trevor about something that's been bothering her. They'd known each other for ten years. She guessed she could consider him a childhood friend—not that there was much to be happy about in her childhood day that is. They'd met in the orphanage and he was one of the older guys getting dragged away when the Shin-Ra personnel arrived to collect future Agents.

Trevor always never failed to lend her a helping hand in worst of situations. He even gave such fatherly advice when she was indulging in a romance with Drake that ended bitterly. Now though, she wished he would help her one more time. Along with finding the hurtful truth about her fellow Agents' deaths, she was ready to resume her search on her parents, and stop Shin-Ra from whatever scheme they're concocting, and hoping the Remnants would simply cooperate. She knew even Cloud would object to Shin-Ra's schemes if he knew about them. He'd know sooner or later.

Ria knocked on her best friend's bedroom door where he usually stayed, but it there was no answer. If he wasn't in his bedroom, there was only one other place she could think where he might be currently hiding. Walking away from the privacy of his room, she entered the bathroom and quickly located the doorway leading to the large office.

Trevor was in here all right. She watched, hands on her hips as he dug through a couple of files that might've been years old. He was wearing reading glasses! Ria blinked, and squared her shoulders, and smoothed down her unruly side bangs that kept flipping its way into her eyes.

"I thought I'd find you here," she spoke, and he looked up.

"Hey Ria!" He greeted her briefly before turning back to his task.

"What exactly are you doing?" She inquired, walking until she was next to him. She barely had time to scan one file before he flipped to the next.

"Searching for something. A research paper I made about the Jenova Project. The steps were there, and every other detail, including the people and the scientists involved." He replied, eyes never leaving the papers.

Ria frowned. "You mean, you got them from Shin-Ra?"

Trevor paused and looked up. "No. The Jenova Project was conducted years before we were even Agents. I think I was still a baby. Yeah, I got the info from the Shin-Ra Manor, but I made the research paper for myself. The notes were kind'a jumbled, so I put them all together so I wouldn't have a headache understanding them," he explained.

"I see. And where did you last put it?" She asked, tinkering with a wrist watch on his desk.

He shook his head. "I can't remember." Ria smacked her forehead.

"Then why are you looking for it here, if you can't even remember where you last put it," she was ready to scream after pointing it out to him.

"I've been looking for it since months ago. I searched my old house, and practically threw everything upside down. Still, no sign of it. So I thought maybe I left them here, since this is the EBH where I usually spent my time," he explained, and went back to shuffling papers again.

Ria blinked rapidly. "Don't you think it got wiped out after the Great Demolition?"

"The hell is a 'Great Demolition'?" The man questioned, his nose wrinkled in confusion.

She rolled her eyes. "You know? When Shin-Ra set out to destroy every single EBH in the planet? But failed to locate this one."

"I didn't know they named it the Great Demolition." Trevor threw the papers aside, and slumped in defeat.

"They didn't... Kadaj came up with that dumb name yesterday."

"What a brat!" He chuckled, and then buried his face into his hands. "That research paper would've helped us a lot."

"Do you remember anything about it?" Ria inquired, trying to help.

Trevor shook his head in defeat, and his head shot up. "Come on. Let's go find something else that'll help!" He encouraged.

Ria bit her lip, hesitating if she should really ask for his help in the subject matter.

"Trev, I wanted to ask you something," she started, and his ears perked up.

"Fire away..." He said, rising from his chair and going to the far side of the room where the main server was located.

"Have you ever known your parents?"

He paused in his gait, and considered his answer for a moment. He wouldn't lie to her. He was just ashamed to say that he never uncovered anything, and had no idea if they were dead or alive.

"No. I tried, but I found nothing. Where are you going with this?" He asked coolly. He knew all about Ria's troubles and curiosity in wanting to find her parents.

Her eyes automatically wandered to the floor. "I... I'm ready for it. I'm ready to know where my parents are, whether the upcoming information would depress me or not," she declared.

Trevor just gave a pained sigh and sat down on the computer chair. He wheeled around and faced her. She had a determined look in her eyes, and she seemed ready. How old was she? Seventeen? Fragile emotions and all. He knew how depressing it could be to find nothing when you've given you're all, but who was he to tell what she was ready for or not? This had to be her decision, and she was telling him now. He talked her into it years ago, but she defiantly shook her head, saying he didn't want to get hurt, but now things were different. He admired her for it.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes. And I was wondering if I could enlist your help..." she managed.

"Okay," he shrugged. "Search starts now..."


	30. Chapter 29: Competition

**Chapter 29: Competition**

**Deliria's POV**

_BANG! _A deafening sound echoes through the forest in the late afternoon. The sky is a beautiful shade of orange, and it's kind'a hard to ignore. Perfect for a shooting practice. I stand a good ways away from my target as I practice my marksmanship. I suck at it lately, and if I'm going to be in frequent battles, I might as well prepare right?

I squeeze the trigger and another loud _bang_ sends various species of birds flying into the sky. This is the thirty-sixth bullet I wasted on some dull red spot I made on the tree as a bull's eye. Now though, it's just mocking me. I growl. I've been out of practice lately. Not to brag, but I can say that I'm pretty excellent a markswoman four years ago. I've been out of shape too. Hey! I'm not fat… just too slim that all the curves start showing up. Model thin to be exact.

_BANG! _Bullet number thirty-seven wasted as it embeds a hole into the trunk's branch, too close to the target. _Damn!_ I sigh, and dig into my backpack for more ammunition. Trev is seriously going to kill me for this. I reload my gun and take aim once more.

"You're holding the gun at a wrong angle."

_BANG! No thanks to you, Yazoo. _Why do they always sneak up on me like this? I whirl around in frustration just as realization hits me that I wasted my thirty-eighth bullet. _I've actually been counting? _That's a surprise.

"What do you mean?" I ask quietly as he stares back at me with those cold green cat's eyes. I shudder.

I watch as he pulls out his own gun, and shoots a bullet straight through the target without even a second glance. _Just how the heck does he _do _that? _I've seen Yazoo fight before, but I never paid attention. Now though, I just regret not paying attention. If I had, then maybe I wouldn't act this shocked. I take a minute, and I know my eyes are glued to the double holes etched on the rough tree bark.

I turn to him, and see him smirking at me in an amused way. He re-holsters his double barreled gun, and turns to me with eyes that had the capacity to turn my innards to goop. _Gosh, his eyes are so...hypnotizing!_

Yazoo cocks his head to the side. "Need help with gun practice?"

I tear my eyes away from the stare, and proceed to checking my gun to see if it's fine.

"If it's not too much to ask," I subtly reply and let out a gasp when another form presses slightly against my back.

I shouldn't have been surprised. _Of course, it's Yazoo._ I tighten my grip on my gun, and let the silver haired guy behind me control my arms to position them at a 'right angle'. Actually, he's explaining some mathematical stuff I don't feel very enthusiastic enough to listen too. It's more on the geometric side and has laws of physics with it too. And I swear if I'm even paying attention, blood would be pouring in rivulets from my nose.

Don't get me wrong! I'm not dumb. My intelligence level is decent enough to make it to the Straight-A type people. Yazoo's knowledge is just too mind blowing. I wonder if Kadaj memorizes the same random nonsense.

"Got it?" Yazoo asks. My arms feel like they've been pumped with lead.

I nod—just to get things over with.

"Now, focus on your target, and try to block out any external distractions," his hot breath tickles down my ear as he chides me with the words. _No distractions... Right..._

I huff out a breath for some determination effort, and let the bullet loose from the barrel. As good as Yazoo's prediction could be, I accurately hit my bull's eye. The bullet had flown inside Yazoo's earlier bullet hole, but it's a bull's eye nonetheless.

Even though, I'm expecting such a thing—knowing that Yazoo's directing me—the bull's eye hit is perfectly predictable, but still, I'm in shock. I find myself blinking in surprise, and rapidly to be exact.

"Hm... In a state of shock I see," Yazoo turns me around so I'm facing him.

His fingers gently caress my face, and finally rest just beneath my chin. As perfect as the moment can be, I feel so insecure. Among the three brothers, I'll admit that I _do_ have feelings for Yazoo, but it's so unsure. Kadaj in particular, is the mini-Sephiroth I really feel comfortable being with. Well, yes, the leader has confusing mood swings, but he can be so gentle and caring when he wants to be. Yazoo, on the other hand, easily opens up, but there are more secrets in him than Kadaj's—though Kadaj is the one with the dark secrets—but has Yazoo ever taken up the courage to even tell me something so negative about him? No.

Don't get me wrong. I don't judge people that easily, but Kadaj is just open, and I don't know what else he's capable of doing, but I'm willing to give a try if he gives motives. Yazoo however, has been clearly showing me how he feels.

The feel of another body pressed up against mine brings me to my senses.

"Ria, are you okay? You're really quiet." Yazoo inquires, his head tilted to the side like a curious puppy.

"Sorry... I-I was just spacing." I stammer out, and I watch as his stare softens before my eyes.

"You've been tired lately. Ria... I want you to know something..." _Here it comes. _If he's going to say something, I just wish he wouldn't tell me _it_ yet, or else, I might just faint.

I watch as the ground beneath my feet does nothing. It's just really mocking me, telling me I have no means of escape as this gorgeous male holds me in his arms. Fingers tilt my face back to Yazoo so he's holding my gaze.

"Look at me. Ria, I care about you." _Oh no._ "I really do... I don't want to see you get hurt. You know I'd do whatever it takes to make you safe. And I've never really felt this way before...to anyone." _Oh gosh, he's going to say it. _At this moment, I have the urge to disappear in the ground. _Please don't say anything, Yazoo! _"Ria... I think... I lo-"

I cut him off. "Yazoo, please. I... I don't think this is the right time..."

His head tilts to the side again, and then pressing his forehead to mine. "What do you mean?"

I look away, feeling so ashamed, and defenseless. "I know you do, Yazoo. But this resistance has nothing to do with you. It's all me."

"Don't you...?"

"Yazoo, I'm not sure. Not yet. Just give me some time. There's just so much I have to take in," I explain in a rush, this time, having the courage to look Yazoo dead in the eye.

He blinked, and sighed. "Okay..." I squeak in surprise when he pulls me closer and presses his lips to my forehead, slowly moving down to kiss my cheek, and then nuzzling my nose with his.

I sigh without meaning to as his soft hair brushes lightly across my right cheek. His face inches closer, and closer, and closer. I shut my eyes, and wait. Just like that, his lips touch mine, a soft tongue sliding gently into my mouth. Weren't girls supposed to be happy when guys give them a kiss? So why do I feel so...empty? Numb...

**Kadaj's POV**

The woods are silent again. You should've heard the racket Ria was creating by just practice shooting. Birds flew everywhere, in every general direction possible. And you ask how do I know it's Ria practice shooting instead of Yazoo even though I'm miles from her location? Let me tell you. I know Yazoo wouldn't make that much noise and creatures don't go scampering for cover. Besides, Yazoo rarely exercises his marksmanship. He's pretty good already, just as I'm the master of swordplay.

It's been hours ago. The shooting's stopped now, and the woods are dead silent again—save for the noises created by woodland patsies. What am I doing wandering out here again? Oh right... To clear my cramped head. And now, I'm already walking back the way I came.

I stop by these tall slender annoying trees. Voices are being carried by the breeze, and from what I can tell, they belong to a male and a female. The opposite genders perfectly referring to my dear brother Yazoo, and Ria. Soundlessly, I creep towards the location where the voices are issuing forth.

I arrive at the scene shortly as everything goes quiet.

_What. The. Hell. _If Yazoo thinks he can snag a girl first, he's wrong. The leader always gets the only female, whether objected by the members or not. _Gaia! What is Yazoo _thinking_? _This competition is on!

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

(Following Day)

"Ria, can you do us all a favor?" Trevor called from the kitchen.

"Um...what would that be?" Ria put down her magazine and shuffled toward the kitchen where Trevor was asking for favors at eight o' clock in the morning.

"Do us all a favor and go grocery shopping in the nearest town here," the man replied while typing away on the keyboard.

"Why me? Why not you?" The brunette demanded groggily.

"As you can clearly see my baby sister, I'm pulling up every Shin-Ra database I could find," Trevor replied subtly.

Ria frowned, and looked over his shoulder and at the multiple windows pulling up simultaneously from the computer screen.

"Is that even legal?" Ria asked.

Trevor paused, thinking for two seconds, and then he shrugged. "Nope... But who's stopping _me_? Not _my_ fault I'm a professional hacker," he grinned mischievously.

Ria chuckled and shoved his shoulder slightly. "You got a list, hacker?" Ria joked, and the man pointed to the folded piece of lengthwise paper lying on the dining table. She walked over, and picked it up, scanning the long list of items. Only five of them inside the house. Why would they need so much food? She frowned in confusion.

"You have no mercy," she accused her friend who laughed.

"If it's too much, ask one of the psychos to help," he advised.

Ria shrugged. Her best friend had a clear point. By far, the Remnants weren't in the house. They could be anywhere, and looking for such people isn't something worth looking forward to. Ria huffed out a breath as she shuffled to the main room where a—surprisingly—bored Kadaj was tossing a ball of yarn while lying on the carpet—like your average kitten.

Seeing how he seemed so focused—especially his cat-slit eyes, she decided not to mention the fact that he was acting like a cat. Really, the only thing missing were cat ears, and a tail. She shuddered at the thought.

"Um...Kadaj?" She started and he looked up. "I need help with the groceries."

"Why me? Yazoo's not around?" He asked, and for a moment, surprise and shock shown in her blue-violet eyes, but just as quickly as it shown, it disappeared.

"You're the only one in sight. Will you?" She asked, almost pleading.

Kadaj sighed, and got up, tossing the yarn into an open drawer—the object landing accurately—without him even looking. "Let's go..."

vVvVv

Fifteen minutes later, Ria sat in the passenger seat of Trevor's car as Kadaj drove down an unfamiliar road that led to the city. It took a lot of convincing, and puppy eyes power to even convince Trevor to let Kadaj drive his car. The two teens contemplated on bringing the Remnant's motorcycle, but seeing as they were coming back with tons of bags, Kadaj wouldn't be able to drive straight anymore, so they opted for the next best thing: Trevor's car.

"Do you know where we're going?" Kadaj asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Yeah... Trev gave me directions to this small general store that the locals usually go to," she replied without sparing a glance at the driver.

Kadaj bit his tongue. Was he really going to mention it? He saw it yesterday: Yazoo and Ria's second kiss. He witnessed the first one in the Forgotten City, but he was too occupied with Mother to even care. Now though, that he was beginning to like her, he was getting slightly jealous. Yazoo had her first, but he wasn't going to let that stop him was he? It all depended on Ria.

He wanted to ask her. He wanted to ask her if she felt anything for his older brother. Hopefully, she'd say none, and she'd better answer him honestly or things could go bad.

"Kadaj?" Her voice broke through his long stream of thoughts.

"Hm?" He responded, veering slightly to the right to avoid a reckless driver.

"Finally... I've been saying your name four times. We make a right over there, and go straight and stop at a place with the sign that says: Supermarket." Ria explained, and he nodded once. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I was just spacing."

vVvVv

"What's first on the list?" Ria asked Kadaj as she navigated the shopping cart across the aisles.

The Remnant looked at the list "Um...Cereal..."

The whole activity was spent in silence despite the noisy voices of shoppers. They'd talk occasionally, when the other's opinion was needed. It was a good thing the Remnants weren't known in this town, or trouble might have issued by then. It was also a good thing that Kadaj was in the right mind to leave his weapon in the car. Though, that didn't stop the people from glancing at the couple's way whenever Kadaj and Ria came by. People usually shot Kadaj a wary look, or just plain confusion, and looks that were coming close to recognition.

"I think you should've worn a hoodie," Ria suggested, examining a dairy product's label.

"I don't mind," Kadaj remarked just as a cluster of girls passed their way, all of them shooting flirtatious glances at the silver-haired teen.

The girls stopped near them, and looked to have been pretending to pick cheese out of the lot. Ria was looking at them exasperatedly. They were talking loudly, and issued high pitched giggles. Yeah... They were indeed flirting. They weren't even carrying a shopping cart. The brunette nonchalantly threw the butter into their cart, and turned to raise an eyebrow at her companion.

"You wanna introduce yourself to them?" She asked him softly.

"Why would I want to do that?" The Remnant inquired.

She rolled her eyes. "They're flirting with you."

"I know. You want me to give them something to be thrilled about?" Kadaj asked with a mischievous look in his serpentine eyes. Ria didn't like the feeling in her spine, and the look he was giving her.

"Uh...Yeah...So they would stop. They're kind'a annoying me..."

Kadaj motioned with his head to the checkout counter since they were done. And to prove his thoughts correct, the girls were close behind, clearly trailing the exotic teen.

"Kadaj, what are you doing?" Ria asked, but he wasn't listening.

The Remnant leader looked at the girls whispering to each other and giggling as one of them caught him looking and gave a flirty wave. He winked at them, sending practically all of them swooning. Ria rolled her eyes. Kadaj was clearly, liking the attention.

"Kadaj, stop that, or I'm going to stuff your face in the trash bin," she threatened him.

Kadaj smirked at the jealous aura surrounding the brunette. She was gripping on the shopping cart's handle tightly, struggling to keep her temper in check. All the while, the Remnant enjoyed every moment of her distress.

"Awww... Someone jealous?" He smirked cockily.

"Shut up," she hissed. "I _am not_ jealous!" Her face was becoming beet red.

"Really?" Kadaj crooned, raising an eyebrow and motioning with his head towards the girls who were still flirting.

"You're _unbelievable_!" Ria screeched quite loudly, few people sending confused looks her way. Kadaj smirked.

Their little argument was cut short when the lady behind the counter cleared her throat.

"Excuse me, miss. You're up next," she nodded once and Ria complied, pushing her cart towards the stand.

Kadaj was helping Ria with the stuff they got. The brunette was putting stuff up with an obvious scowl. Therefore, she shuddered involuntarily when Kadaj leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"Still mad?" He whispered in her ear, but she just shrugged him off. "Look, I'm sorry... You're just so fun to tease," he chuckled.

Ria scoffed and turned away from him, pouting slightly as she dug in her wallet for the credit card Trevor let her borrow. Kadaj went ahead, picking up the bags filled with the stuff they bought. Ria followed after paying, and they silently walked out to the parking lot, leaving the screaming fan girls behind.

Kadaj slammed the trunk closed after loading the groceries inside. Ria was still ignoring him though, and he decided to end the feud. It was just ridiculous. She was jealous alright, and there was no hiding it. Maybe he shouldn't have entertained the girls' lewd gestures. Kadaj sighed, and grabbed her wrist.

"Ria...this is ridiculous," he sighed when she stopped. "I barely even know them. I was just having some fun. If it really made you mad, then I apologize." Kadaj finished in a rush. And where did all the sincere apology words come from? Did he really like her _that _much now?

"Yeah, yeah... Let's just go."

Kadaj shook his head, and followed in the car. He took his place behind the wheel and they took off to the EBH in the woods. He really had no intention of hurting her feelings, and she was the only person he really shared his secrets to. Yes, he was sadistic, and could be heartless at times, but what was he supposed to do when these feelings for a girl overshadow anything else? If he was being honest with himself, she was the only thing that kept him from going into depression after what happened to Jenova. And regarding with thoughts of Mother, he was beginning to doubt her favors to him too.

He glanced at the girl looking out the window, and exhaled through his nose. Maybe he should just stop hiding and show her how he really felt. If Yazoo could do such things, then he could to. Competition's definitely on.


	31. Chapter 30: Unspoken

**Chapter 30: Unspoken**

**Normal POV**

Ria blinked and looked up at the night sky. She was guessing almost every one of her companions was now asleep, so that's why she bothered coming to the roof to think. How she got there, wasn't important. There was a lot of cussing, and bruising involved. Oh well, she was there now, just looking at the silvery stars shining in the black sky. The moon wasn't out tonight, and that was fine; she really didn't need it.

So many thoughts churned inside her head. Would she really find her parents? Were they even _worth _searching for? Was it the right decision to stay with Kadaj and his brothers? Did she feel something for Yazoo? Was she starting to get _attracted _to Kadaj? And how was she supposed to react if the Remnant leader started showing interest?

Gaia, there was _so _much to take in. It's a miracle her head hadn't exploded yet. It might as well have. There were so many things to sort out, and taking everything one by one was the only option she was considering. The thought standing out from the rest, though, was—sadly—boy problems. If you were to ask her fan girl side, Kadaj and Yazoo _were _pretty attractive, gorgeous even, but the mature, sensible Ria knew it was a mad chance that either of them would really love her for who she was. Could they?

"What are _you _doing up so late?" A voice spoke from behind her. Without turning around, she knew who it was.

"How'd you find me up here?" She inquired, quite coldly, not turning from the spot.

"I didn't mean to. I just...wanted some fresh air. So I came up here," he explained, and came forward to sit next to her on the edge of the rusty, vine infested roof.

Ria just blinked and didn't turn to him even as he took off his gloves and strapped the objects to his waist. They sat in awkward silence for three long hours, both of them not bothering to turn to each other, or even talk. Kadaj didn't seem to mind, and Ria was just awfully distracted. She came up here to be alone. Not to be joined by the one of the two people occupying her thoughts. Kadaj seemed to sense her discomfort, and spoke.

"Is my presence bothering you?" He asked nonchalantly.

Ria turned to him, noticing for the first time how his eyes glowed intensely in the darkness. He was looking straight at her, and his stare was almost intimidating and unnerving. If she hadn't seen or heard him, she might even mistaken the glowing orbs as a reptile's hungry stare.

"No." She answered after a few short instances of wondering about his eyes.

Kadaj sighed heavily and let one of his legs dangle against the edge. Looking down at the ground, it wasn't all that high. To him, it might feel like jumping down from a bed.

"Sounds like you're lying to me..." he stated with nonchalance.

Taken aback, she sputtered out quickly. "I'm not lying. What reason do I have?" How does he _do _that?

"A lot actually..." he shrugged unnoticeably. "I won't push you..."

Minutes ticked by as they both fell silent again. She was staring at the forest floor below, wrapping her arms firmly around her tucked form to keep warm. The wind was still blowing gently, but mercilessly. It really didn't help that she neglected to bring a jacket up here. Kadaj stared ahead; focusing on a single odd shaped leaf clinging to a weak branch like it was some sort of lifeline. Why does life work that way? Sometimes you hold on to something—your last fatal resort—but you know it's a slim chance that it might even help. Well, he knew that full well. Lessons in life tended to be cruel because life is never easy.

He'd learn that now that Mother was dead. He was only beginning to try to stand in two stable feet. He always relied on Mother for instructions, getting all antsy, bossy, and extremely cruel. He was realizing it now. He needed help from others—not that he'd admit that—but at least now he was being honest to himself—if only slightly. Ria was the main reason for all the changes of course. Since he'd told her his dark family history, he wanted to tell her everything—except his distorted feelings.

"Do you like Yazoo?" Kadaj blurted out, catching Ria by surprise.

For a moment, silence filled the deep chasm stretching for what seemed like miles between them.

"Like a brother to me," she replied softly earning a humorless—almost cruel—chuckle from the Remnant.

"Would a sister kiss her brother?" He inquired coldly.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" She demanded harshly without meaning to.

He sighed heavily. "It's alright to tell, you know. He likes you too. Wouldn't stop babbling about you." He lied convincingly.

Well, that was partly true. Yazoo talked about her, but not as often. He would just chat when he felt like telling people. No hiding it. Yazoo is in love.

His words made Ria's head snap towards his direction, catching his glowing serpentine eyes. Yazoo was talking about her? That was a lot more attention than she could think of. But something along his words made her suspicious, and she had no idea why.

"What'd he say?" She asked, sneaking a peek at his lithe profile.

"Not important. That's not all I wanted to talk to you about. About what happened at the groceries...they were just girls," Kadaj said, abruptly changing the subject.

Ria shook her head. "I'm not holding anything against you. Maybe I was mad... but that was just for an hour," she explained as Kadaj gaped at her with shock in his eyes. She rushed to explain. "I'm not that shallow I swear. I just realized I was wrong about it. I was overreacting."

Kadaj actually smirked. "Shame... Jealousy was a pretty cute expression on you while it lasted," he chuckled amusedly.

Ria gasped in mock mortification, but was silently happy that his normal annoying puns were back. She was seriously beginning to think that he had a bipolar disorder. His moods changed so quickly, and pretty abnormal for mood swings. Kadaj inched closer to her, just for the heck of it.

Ria rolled her eyes. "And what's _your _excuse Mr. Mood-swings? One minute you're giddy, and the next, you're as moody as Cloud without the anti-depressants."

"Cloud's on anti-depressants?" Kadaj asked, quite curious now.

"I didn't say anything," Ria brushed it off. "Let's just go back to Yazoo. Why are you asking if I like him?" She inquired, switching to their earlier topic.

"I'm his brother. I don't wanna get his hopes up. At least I'll know if you're just hitting on him for fun or if you really mean it," he replied, feigning innocence once more.

She sighed heavily. "I'm not sure Kadaj. Yazoo's nice, but...I'm confused."

"About what? If you like him or not? Let's make this easy. I saw you kissing him. Twice now," the Remnant remarked coolly.

For a second, she was in utter shock. Did Kadaj see any of those? Well, that's just a huge embarrassment on her part.

"I...That was..." She trailed off, stuttering as she struggled to form words.

"See what I mean?" Kadaj sighed heavily.

"He's the one who kissed me. I was trying to push him away from me. I hope you won't take offense Kadaj, but honestly, your brother scares me some times. I think he's forgetting I'm only human," she explained in one breath, softly. She just had this feeling that she owed explanations to Kadaj, considering as he's already told her so much.

Kadaj pursed his lips. "Give him a break. He's never had a girl before."

"And I suppose _you _have some experience?" She raised an eyebrow at him skeptically.

"I shouldn't talk. Never had a girl, but I'm not looking forward to any. No girl would actually want a psychotic boyfriend," he explained wistfully.

"Those girls in the supermarket do," she reasoned.

"That's 'cause they don't know me," Kadaj whispered against her ear.

His hot breath tingled down her neck causing her to shiver pleasantly at the warmth. She had to be careful, seeing as she had no idea what his intentions were. He was seductive tonight, and it spelled trouble...or all-out confusion. She dared a glance up at his feline features, losing herself in his galaxy eyes. Now she was convinced he was suffering from bipolar. He was moody a few hours ago, and now he was what? Seducing like he was bidding for high priced chocolate bars.

"Strange, how you don't seem frightened of me," he whispered huskily, every inch of hot air leaving his lungs to come into contact with the skin at her ear.

"Why should I be?" She whispered cautiously, gaze unwavering from the distant treetops, refusing to look at the Remnant—she couldn't see him very well anyway.

"Because I'm a monster. This is what I am."

Ria took a deep breath, and turned to face him head on, but ended up with their lips connecting. Their eyes were wide open, the shock mirrored by anticipation and extreme delirious confusion. His eyes were glazed over, just like the different feelings floating at the back of her head. What was this supposed to mean? Was she supposed to close her eyes? She stared at him, and he stared right back, making no move to further the kiss. Their lips were just touching, and nothing more.

Ria closed her eyes and silently sucked on his bottom lip, a contented sigh escaping her mouth. His response, however, was different and calloused. He pulled away, and pointedly refused to meet her confused gaze. Her eyes drifted to the rusted metal roof of the EBH, wondering what had spurred the sudden action from him. It was uncharacteristic, and foreign. And for a long time since she could recall, she knew there were no words left to say.


	32. Chapter 31: Games

**Chapter 31: Games**

**Deliria's POV**

It's been weeks of living in utter peace. Shin-Ra's still hunting for us of course, but due to their immense bad luck, their brains are dumb enough to think we might be hiding far, far away—thanks to Trev for harboring that sort of information. I'm still searching for my parents though, and hoping we'd have the chance to get into Shin-Ra's old files with the loads of info on each Agent's surreal background. There's a chance Shin-Ra would have no idea who my parents are, but it's worth a shot. We're talking about Shin-Ra Electric Power Company. Probably the biggest company empire in the planet.

So far, we haven't gotten any leads yet. I'm searching as much as I can, and probably exhausted all the possible key words on the search engine, and still come up with nothing. I tried Hollow, and Hollow residence, even going as far as to typing Deliria Hollow's family. But results all come out pretty much the same. No results found. Other times, I'd search the key word Hollow, and info on 'hollow' stuff is what comes out. What kind of internet service does Midgar have? Junon is _way_ more competitive. I'm considering going there for broader searches, but that's not a likely option. Too damn expensive if you ask me though.

Anyway… my best friend's doing everything he can too. For the last few days, he'd spent all day hacking almost seventy-five Shin-Ra databases all over the planet. Each database had almost eighty-two gigabytes—or more—worth of encrypted files. And if it weren't for my friend's hacking job, I wouldn't have discovered that the virus that shut down my laptop years ago had been Shin-Ra's experimentation bug in the field of information technology. So far, we've managed to seek out most SOLDIER info that was barely needed, some old projects that served as prototypes for the successful ones. One of them was Project G, which turned out to be a failure so they gave away the lab baby. Poor SOLDIER Rhapsodos. The Jenova Project was a success to, but it was already the root for further troubles to come.

With regards to my heritage, we've got no leads. In other words, we're still in Phase Zero. But I'm not so keen as to lose hope so easily. I know they're out there somewhere, and whether they want me or not, I'm coming for them. I didn't get myself nearly killed by three psychopaths just to give up in an almost fruitless search. We'll find them.

But that's just one of the many things bothering me. There's still the boy problems. After getting embarrassed because of a kiss, I'm not that much confident to banter freely with Kadaj now. Sure, we still talk, but it's pure business. Sometimes, we'd arranged group meetings and talk for hours about future plans, and when we'll try infiltrating Shin-Ra again. Kadaj's annoying leader instincts suggest we do it when they're quite content to leave us be which is not happening any time this week.

Trev's the master hacker, and Yazoo simply got the job of surveillance monitor. He'd spy on Shin-Ra via one of their latest databases—thanks to Trev's ingenious idea. Yazoo's getting the heck of the job too. He's actually lovin' it. Loz, well, he and Kadaj are as useful as robots that wait for commands before getting anything done, so we mostly put them on housekeeping duty much to Kadaj's loathing of the job. Seriously, you'd think he'd be the productive one, but no.

It's been weeks of being stagnant, and it's about to drive me insane. I'm not used to not having objectives or something big to worry about over the week. We're so timid and we've already gotten used to the EBH and are pretty comfortable. The woods are kind of comforting now too. I'm already used to the late afternoon exploration of the flora and fauna. I still practice my marksmanship too, hoping to improve. Yazoo helps me get through; though his geometry and physics explanations get dead boring sometimes, but it's either he's just going overboard with the training session, or he just wants to show off. I don't really care.

Other than those things, everything seems fine to me. We all seem content with our own business... Right now, I don't know if I'm okay though because Loz keeps whining about being bored and I feel like I'm stuck here babysitting him or something—which is kind'a awkward seeing as he's around Trev's age. And speaking of the man who leaves me to the psychos, he's gone out to some place and he won't tell me. He says it's a surprise.

"I'm boooooored!" Okay, Loz is beginning to blow my top.

I blink rapidly and squint as try my best to concentrate on the magazine I'm reading. It's pretty much crap, but it's not like I have a range of choices available do I? I'm stuck. Kadaj and Yazoo are in the room too. I dunno what Yazoo's doing, because he's damn quiet. Kadaj is shifting around the carpet playing with yarn again. I think he's turning into a cat.

"Can we go out and play?" Loz asks in a high-pitched voice which probably suggests how much of a baby he is.

"Loz, grow up. You're acting like a spoiled brat," Kadaj deadpans, as I look up from my reading material.

"How about mental scrabble?" Yazoo suggests, and everyone, including me falls silent as the three of us gawk at him from across the room.

"Brother, are you serious?" Kadaj asks, dropping his toy and sitting up straight. Apparently, I put my magazine down too.

"How do you play it?" Loz asks with wide watery eyes.

"Just like the norm scrabble. For example, I say a word." Yazoo pauses thoughtfully. "Okay. My word is 'Sing'. So you have to come up with a word that starts with the last letter of the word I just said."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. Is Yazoo a school nerd? Because if he was, I think he'd win gold at the mind games. I sigh and start fidgeting with the strands of my hair. And I'm currently proud of myself for going easy on the braids. My hair's currently in a high ponytail.

"But that's hard..."

I slapped my forehead. _Is Loz this dumb? _I look up from the hand covering my face to see Kadaj looking like someone dropped a load of bricks on Loz's brawny head. _I mean, how hard is it to come up with a word that starts with the letter 'G'? _Is he even for real?

"Mother have mercy, and somebody give that giant child an alphabet book," Kadaj murmurs loud enough that I can hear every single word he just said. I can't help giggling.

The moment is even more comical when the youngest of the brothers drops himself back into the carpet, picks up the ball of yarn, and starts rolling it around between his hands. _I'm convinced. If Loz is a giant child, Kadaj is the giant kitten. _

Yazoo, however, in contrast to our reactions looks more understanding. He sighs and shakes his head.

"Giant starts with the letter 'G'... You wanna play?" Yazoo offers.

_Pleasesaynopleasesayno... Please say no... Please. Say. No!_

"Let's play!" Came the annoying giant cheer.

_Oh gosh... _ This does it. I'm driving myself insane. Now I wish I should've just gone with my best friend, but then again, he won't even let me. I should've just stayed in my crappy room. From the corner of my eye, Kadaj sits up abruptly, and glares at Yazoo.

"I'd rather have my teeth pulled than play this game," he complains.

Something loose and soft hits my face, and before I know it, I'm staring at the ball of yarn Kadaj has been playing with the whole afternoon. I growl lowly and fix a glare to the back of his head. I pick up a pillow, grin manically, and I'm going to hurl this thing at his head.

"Don't even think about it Ria!" _Oh-kay... That was uncalled for._

I lower the supposed weapon. "How'd you know?"

He shrugs, and turns to me. "I just felt it...for some reason."

_Felt it? How could he possibly feel like I'm about throw something at him? _That's mind-blowing weird.

"So do we play?" Yazoo asks almost reluctantly.

"Okay I'll play," I quietly agree.

"I'll play just for the sake of showing Loz I'm better at it than he is..." Kadaj shoots back though his words seem empty, but I find myself laughing anyway.

Yazoo rolls his eyes. "Always the immature one."

"Shut up Yazoo."

_The siblings have a cute banter..._

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

"It's your turn Kadaj," Yazoo called to the Remnant leader who was feigning sleep on one of the couches.

"Yeah... Can we stop this game?"

"Why?" Loz whined uncontrollably. "I was only starting to have fun," he retorted, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Oh snap out of it you big baby. What's so fun about coming up with words that end with this crap?" Kadaj shot back, causing a few tears to stream from Loz's eyes.

"Kadaj!" Yazoo gasped. "That wasn't nice..." He scolded the younger sibling sternly.

"I'll say. We used to torture people in a daily basis and you didn't even complain. Now I hurt Loz with a few words, and you go spastic on me?! This is INJUSTICE!" Kadaj stormed, getting to his feet in a flash, and pointing an accusing finger at Yazoo's face accurately pointed at his nose.

"Quit ****hing and get over it. You guys are overreacting," Ria deadpanned, picking leisurely at a loose thread on her cushion.

"I think I'm getting the weird annoying feeling that you just called us a girl," Kadaj spoke lowly, threateningly.

"Well, it definitely looks like you guys were ****hing..." Ria shrugged.

Everyone fell silent after the comment. The moment was simply too awkward for anyone to bring up some topic, and it was never easy with these three. To Ria, the brothers were still recovering from Jenova's death—Kadaj in particular. Loz and Yazoo seem okay, but who could tell with such good demeanors? She sighed and lit up when an idea popped into her over crowded head.

"Look, I hate to act like a kid, but we're all bored aren't we?" She paused as everyone in the room responded with robotic nods. "How about we play a different game?" She suggested.

"Is it gonna involve school?" Kadaj asked, cross-legged on the carpet, forgetting the ball of yarn lying around. "'Cause if it does, I ain't playin' it..."

"Is it going to be fun?" Loz inquires with huge cyan eyes.

"Depends if it interests me," Yazoo stated coldly, chewing on his jutting bottom lip.

"It's called Hide n' Seek..." Ria exclaimed, half expecting the three to start yelling complaints about how stupid her idea was.

Instead, the reaction received was all out unbelievable. Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz stared at her like she was some statue about to come to life. Either they were too surprised to talk, or they simply had no idea of what she was talking about. Kadaj finally spoke up.

"The hell is that?" Kadaj exclaimed, face scrunched up cutely in honest confusion which made Ria squeal inwardly. He looked like a little boy.

Ria resisted the urge to slap her forehead. Seriously? These three were brothers, and they've been through childhood, but they've never played a common children's game of Hide n' Seek.

"What do you guys play when you were kids? Kill the Stranger?" She asked, half mocking them for their clueless ness.

"Haha, very funny Ria..." Kadaj deadpanned. "We never played 'Kill the Stranger'. Our little game was called 'Torture the Stranger'." Kadaj remarked proudly which made the brunette roll her eyes.

She knew of their childhood from the Remnant leader himself. And she was just joking for Gaia's sake. No chance would she ever put up with these three's stream of taunts and teases.

"Anyway, let me explain. The name of the game speaks for itself. Hide and Seek. One person gets to be 'it', while the other players hide. The 'it' gets to close his eyes and count to a hundred while the others search for a place to hide themselves. The first person the 'it' finds gets to be tagged next. Conditions of the game can be changed depending on the agreement of the players via unanimous decision... So whaddaya say?" Ria piped up after her explanation.

"Let's put a price," Yazoo suggested smugly. "What would you propose, Kadaj?" He turned towards the youngest Remnant who currently had a wicked grin on his impish face.

"I say the 'it' has to find one of us in less than five minutes. If he does, then the traditional rules go on, but if he doesn't, he can continue looking, but after he's found them all, he's got to do a dare," he smirked mischievously.

"Upping the stakes, I see..." Ria droned, raising one eyebrow.

In the midst of deciding what the stakes should be, Loz stayed quiet, simply waiting for them when they'd start playing this game.

"Too scared?" Kadaj mocked the only girl in the group.

"Am not!" She retorted loudly.

"Fine! You're 'it'! I _dare_ you! Unless you're too much of a chicken to take up the challenge," he chuckled triumphantly.

"You're on!" She agreed, her game face on.

While the two teens argued, Yazoo had quietly snuck off to the side to sit by Loz who looked partially curious, and amused. Honestly, Yazoo would admit that he was a bit jealous with Kadaj and Ria's cheeky banter that proved to be a bit flirtatious. But there was no denying that it was amusing.

Loz nudged Yazoo's arm: "I'll bet you a hundred Gil Ria doesn't find one of us in less than five minutes." The young man grinned.

"I'll bet three hundred Gil Ria wins this bet and Kadaj's challenge. She's more competent than you think," Yazoo remarked coolly.

Loz nodded eagerly, both of them looking at the teenagers still arguing. Ria looked really pissed, and Kadaj was as smug as a fox.

vVvVv

"... 95... 96... 97... 98... 99... 100... Ready or not, here I come!" Ria shouted from her room, making sure that the others heard her, from wherever they were.

The group had agreed that the hiding limit was until the hideout premises only. No one was allowed to hide in the forest, for it would be unfair to the person who was genetically lacking compared to the others' who were obviously enhanced after years of experimentation. Thanks to Ria's, great perseverance, the Remnants agreed reluctantly.

Since she was 'it', she hoped she would find them. They weren't dumb, and the Remnants were experts in hiding. She wouldn't dare underestimate their capabilities.

Quietly, Ria crept out of her room. No one was allowed to change their hideout. They had to stay put, and having fun was all about being fair. She had exactly five minutes to find one of them. Currently, she was wondering the underground kitchen, keeping quiet as possible. She checked the huge closet under the sink where a normal person could fit; no one was there of course. She sighed. She should've known better that the one of the Remnants were dumb enough to hide there. She actually felt guilty for thinking that Loz would be hiding in such a place. Guess she was wrong...

Sighing heavily once more, she moved to the other rooms where she thought they might be hiding. And she only had four minutes left. She'd better hurry, or Kadaj would give her the dare himself. And that wasn't something worth looking forward to.

vVvVv

Kadaj exhaled through his nose deeply, partly in relief. She had already gone through the place where he was hiding. In the office. He had been standing in the middle of the room, in the form of empty air. He smirked cruelly after she had exited the room thinking she found no one. He didn't care if she'd complain later. The rules only covered no hiding in the forest. She didn't exactly explain that his abilities couldn't be used. Well, that was clearly her fault, and her nasty flaw. She only had two minutes left to either find Yazoo or Loz. She needed luck badly.

In the meantime, though, he had to stay in air form until the game ended. He couldn't risk having her find him first, could he? The person found last would be paid a hundred Gil, as to what he and his brothers agreed upon. In the back of his mind, he quietly wondered where Yazoo was hiding. That Remnant could camouflage himself better than a chameleon, and Kadaj secretly envied him for that. He wasn't exactly a master of disguise, but who would need such ability if he was capable of invisibility? Life is so amusing.

vVvVv

Ria slumped against the wall adjoining the main room to the kitchen. Gaia, who knew it would be so hard? Her five minutes were up, and she was going to be dead. If she didn't die of shame, she'd definitely die of teasing from Kadaj later on. She hated the fact that she was even stupid enough to agree to Kadaj's impossible terms. She really _did _underestimate the Remnants' abilities. She had searched the whole house, even tried pulling it apart, yet found no sign of silver, black leather, nothing. Maybe they cheated and went to the forest and hid there. She shouldn't have trusted them with the game rules, and maybe she wouldn't be in this mess. Why did she have to suggest playing Hide n' Seek. For first timers, these guys were better than the professionals. Trevor arrived and found her dumbfounded of course.

"Whoa? What's wrong Ria?" He asked quietly.

"Remind me to never challenge those psychos to a game of Hide n' Seek," she pointed out.

Trevor smirked, amused at what he was hearing. "What'd they do this time?"

"They're either hiding in this house or they cheated on me and ran off elsewhere," she sighed heavily, burying her face in her hands.

"Can't find them?"

"Obviously," she replied, exasperated and rolling her eyes in desperation.

It was at this exact moment that her phone went off though, and she picked it up, not expecting for anyone to call.

"Give up?" A silky voice purred through the speakers, causing her to seethe in fury.

"You'd better show yourselves," she demanded harshly, imagining the smirk plastered on his smug face, and hung up.

Trevor stayed rooted to his spot, arms folded across his chest, smirking in quiet amusement. Kadaj and Ria _were_ beginning to develop something, and it smelled really fishy. He watched silently as Ria stomped off angrily in the general direction of the main room.


	33. Chapter 32: Realizations

**Chapter 32: Realizations**

**Normal POV**

"I still can't believe you cheated on me like this!" Ria yelled in frustration later that night while the group was having a light dinner.

"You didn't mention anything about not using your abilities," Kadaj smirked smugly, slurping on some soup.

Ria growled under her breath at the boy her age. She snapped out of her thoughts when a gloved hand was gently placed over hers. His thumb lightly stroked the back of her hand. She looked up and found herself staring into Yazoo's glittering eyes. He leaned in and whispered.

"He's got a point, and it was just a game so get over it," he smiled gently and lightly kissed her cheek.

"It's still not fair," she sulked. "You couldn't say something?" She looked at the young adult still looking at her strangely, and huffed.

"Get over it, Ria. You're not a kid," Kadaj snapped, getting slightly annoyed.

"Stop this idiocy, and we need a change of topic," Trevor demanded, not looking up from the bite mark that marred his club sandwich.

Two of the three siblings shut their mouths and continued eating. Ria slowly picked at her food, shoving the peas aside, her fork slightly scraping her dinner plate's surface. The sound screeched across the silent room, causing some of the boys to flinch a bit. Dinner continued without much of a ruckus, and before everyone knew it, it was time to clear the table.

Ria stood up, fully intending to get some fresh air and to be alone to relax a bit. Tonight, Trevor and Yazoo were in charge with the dishes, so she was free—for tonight at least. Their group was planning to infiltrate Shin-Ra again, two weeks from now since according to Yazoo's recent observations, Shin-Ra was beginning to take them for granted, and that was a good thing.

The brunette casually made her way upstairs to get out of the headquarters to a clearing she had seen earlier this week. She only had the chance to visit once, and that was when she discovered it. Nevertheless, no one was stopping her from coming there now. She knew the others had already noticed her prolonged absences, frequent times alone, but none of them brought it up. She knew Trevor understood, and she'd been doing this since she was in the orphanage. But the Remnants didn't know _that_, but they didn't pry—though Kadaj had shown several signs of asking her about it, but neglected to do so anyways.

Ria sighed as she stepped out into the cold night air. The woods were silent tonight, and it might have been scary in normal circumstances, but right now, it had no effect on a lone teenager's overcrowded head. But safety first, and she was never one to neglect such precautions, so Ria always brought her gun with her.

vVvVv

Kadaj conveniently let her trot ahead. He let himself lag behind and casually leaped on low-lying branches to hide from plain sight, even though it was pretty clear that she wouldn't catch him even if she brought a flashlight with her. If Yazoo or Ria's best friend were around, they'd say he was stalking her, but then again, stalking his 'prey' had been his favorite pass time. But given the circumstance, she wasn't his prey. He just wanted to know what she was up to, and where she was going. Without even admitting it to himself, the real reason he had followed her was to make sure she was safe. Even though she had been an Agent for Shin-Ra once, it was still risky to take chances. Did she really matter to him now?

He kept following her until they reached a clearing, and here she stopped. He watched from atop a tree as she casually sat cross-legged near the edge of a glittering pond. The silvery moon was showing itself tonight, and looking at her now, he would be lying if he would say he wasn't attracted to her. He watched as she wrapped her arms around herself, struggling to keep the cold air from chilling her. Kadaj took this opportunity to make himself known.

Quiet as a ghost, and as lithe as a cat, he dropped down from the tree, landing soundlessly on the ground with ease. A heavy sigh escaped her shuddering body, and the teen blinked his silver hair from his eyes.

What was happening to him? Why was he so reluctant all of a sudden? Normally, Kadaj would've just spoke and took silent pleasure at his victim's startled expression. But now, Ria looked so peaceful and serene that he couldn't bring himself to shatter her moment of tranquility. This clearing was beautiful, and if she came here with obvious reasons, he really didn't have the right to interrupt anything. But he just had, so what was he supposed to do? Apparently, Ria had answered that equation for him.

Sensing another life form's presence, she whirled around and wasn't able to hide the shock that had covered her face. What—?! How did he—?! He followed her? Snapping out of her thoughts, she resorted to pretending he didn't exist, but that only caused him to sit next to her. What was he here for anyway? To talk to her? To bother her?

"It's late. You shouldn't be out here..." He whispered, reluctant of shattering the quietness of the place.

"Says who...?" Came her indignant reply.

"The guys," he replied after a few seconds.

"Out with it, Kadaj. What do you want to say?" She confronted him abruptly.

"About the kiss... Why'd you respond?"

Ria just have been struck mute. Faint rouge began to slightly color her face, and she silently thanked the night for the darkness that masked her embarrassment. Kadaj smirked, clearly seeing the pink that rose to her cheeks. But he didn't press the matter. It would only make things worse.

"I thought it was expected," she rushed to cover, shrugging as she did and Kadaj smiled faintly at the lie.

"It was accidental," he sighed.

"In case you haven't noticed, you were being seductive," she pointed out.

"Hmph...Maybe..." He muttered under his breath but kept a decent distance.

"Do you remember how we met?" He asked out of nowhere, just voicing the question lurking in the back of his mind.

She looked taken aback, but left him be as she watched him staring at the glimmering water. The only thing missing was a bridge, and two swans forming heart shapes with their necks, and she could've mistaken the clearing as one of those places that jumped up straight from cheesy romance novels. She blinked suddenly from her daze.

"Yeah... You turned to black mist and knocked me out," she retorted nonchalantly.

Kadaj smirked wickedly at this. "I didn't regret what I decided that day."

Ria shook her head. This conversation was proving to be fruitless. But something along the lines of what he just said jolted her back to her sensible self. She lifted her head and glanced at his direction.

"How is that?" She asked.

"You and I really can't hide the fact that I treat you like a friend now," he shook his head, smirking as he did. "And I met you a month ago. Do you realize how much time has passed? And there I was thinking I'd get to kill you when I find Mother."

"Time changes things. I've realized that..." She whispered.

"Do you still hate me for the terrible things I did to you?" He asked cautiously.

"Are you apologizing?" She asked with deliberate shock. Kadaj the calloused Remnant leader who ruined her entire life was apologizing to her. That's something she'd never expect.

"Is it too late for an apology? I mean, I think it's decent enough since you're like a friend to me now, and...after everything, I owe you a lot for keeping a huge secret that's been haunting me since the day it happened," he explained, surprising sincerity in his glowing green cat's eyes.

Ria sighed. "Fine, I forgive you," she huffed and fell silent once more, so did Kadaj. Eternity seemed to pass when he suddenly spoke.

"Hey... Do you remember that time I caught you in your underwear?" He inquired, rousing a faint blush to the brunette's fair complexion.

"Why'd you bring _that _up?" She demanded, quite embarrassed.

"You should've seen the look on your face," he teased quietly and she shoved him slightly.

"Like you can talk. I don't think you're noticing that you're turning into a cat either," she taunted him, and wild amusement flickered in his serpentine eyes for a second before tilting his head curiously to the side.

"Cat?"

"You're kidding right? The only things you're missing are cat ears and a fuzzy tail." Ria shook her head at the look on Kadaj's face.

"I applaud your imagination," he regarded her with a dry look. "Girls," he muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes at the same time.

"Hey... Can I hold your hand?"

The question had caught him utterly off guard. He turned back to her and nodded once, wondering what had spurred the spark of courage. He offered his gloved hand for her to take, and she undoubtedly intertwined her fingers with his. He drew closer to her, side by side, as they listened to the sound of crickets chirping in the woods.

"Ria?" He started, hesitant if he should even bring it up.

"Hm?" She asked, eyes never straying from the dark blue water before them.

"Do you still remember that time I caught you crying in my room? What was that all about?"

Kadaj's question had caused earlier thoughts to resurface from the back of her mind. Specifically to that time he had consoled her during her worst moments of reminiscing her past. Truth be told, she liked hearing other people's stories, comforting them about it, but definitely not hers. Only Trevor knew about her so much, and one person was many enough. Although the strong urge to tell Kadaj was present, she just couldn't give in that easily to the pits of senselessness. Besides, she was closer to Yazoo, so why didn't she tell the long-haired Remnant about it? Why Kadaj? She didn't know.

And boy thoughts come again. Yazoo was really attractive, brain bashingly good-looking. He was charming too, and a gentleman. He's civil, and seemed to have a good upbringing—though Ria knew he and his siblings were far from 'good upbringing' as any adult would say—but very violent too, when the situation demands that he be merciless. He seems to also have the sense of acting like the oldest sibling, though he isn't. And she already had the impression that his intelligence wasn't one to be underestimated. How he lectured her during marksmanship training proved his skills enough. He knows how to approach girls in a gentle yet smoldering manner, and he's a good kisser. Though that was the problem. Yazoo _is_ quite impatient—but not as impatient as Kadaj. But the kind that says: 'I want this now, and I'll get this _now_.' And another thing about Yazoo that annoyed her was his being secretive. Hell, he and Kadaj were almost the same—almost. But he always hid behind allure and charm.

Kadaj on the other hand, is the weirdest and craziest guy she's ever met. In turn, if she was being honest with herself, those qualities were what actually attracted her most to him. His ambitious thoughts, childish demeanors, impish tricks, and mischievous moods were quite alarming to hear, but really amusing once you see the better side of those things. She silently admired him too. He's the youngest and he's the leader. Not your ordinary gang. You'd think the oldest would have to lead a team, so why him? The only flaw she could see in that part was his vulnerability, and emotional and mental instability—not to mention one of his psychotic episodes. And according to Yazoo and Loz's confessions, Kadaj possesses loads of abilities the both of them couldn't even do. Though the two never specifically mentioned what they were, she knew she'd find out sooner or later. He's very secretive too, but willing to open up if you knew which buttons to push. He knew his way almost around anything, and maybe a bit smarter than Yazoo, if she said so herself, though he displayed being dense at times, but she knew he was far from it. If this guy was serious, you'd better take him seriously. If he was livid, he became your worst nightmare. Other than that, she really didn't know why she felt such a strong and deep connection between them, why she felt so attracted to him.

"Ria?" His voice jarred her to her senses, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Sorry. I...I was spacing," she smiled faintly.

"It's okay if you won't tell me, I won't really force this on you since I feel strangely generous tonight," he cracked, gracing her with a smoldering smile that wouldn't have been visible in the darkness, but his definitely shown.

He watched her hesitate and nibble on her bottom lip. He patiently waited as she sorted her thoughts carefully, probably wondering what things were too private to share, and things she'd detail him on. He sighed quietly as the night wore on. It seemed like forever, but really it had only been two and a half hours since they got here.

"You wanna know something about me?" She whispered.

"Um... Okay," he shrugged, bringing their entwined hands to his lap where he lay her hand there and subconsciously stroked small circles across her palm as he fixed his unwavering attention on her.

"We're infiltrating Shin-Ra in a few weeks, right?" She asked and upon receiving a nod from him, she continued. "I'm searching for my parents, and I think you get the idea that I'm an orphan. I grew up in an orphanage. I have no memory of what happened to me before then..."

"How old were you? When you were taken there, I mean." Kadaj clarified.

"I don't know..." She shook her head, softly laying her head on his shoulder.

Tears came slow but sure as she relayed the whole story of her life. From the day she came of realization, to how Shin-Ra had taken them, and until the day he kidnapped her, noticing how he seemed to tense at the mention of how he troubled her, and when she started saying things about her insecurity; about her parents not wanting her.

vVvVv

"All I want is to see them, to find out if they're even alive. I don't care if they don't want me. No matter how much it hurts, I can't stop myself from missing them, even though I've never met them. I can't stop myself from caring for them. I want to know if they're all right, how their life's been like with a daughter missing."

As she continued her rant, Kadaj's arm slowly wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him so she could cry onto his chest. And she let him hold her like that, even for just for a while.

"I envy you..." Came his soft silky voice, and she looked up at him. "Sometimes, I wish that somewhere out there, my real father would be searching for me. But you know what? I know it's not happening. I know nobody cares about me. Maybe my brothers do, but we've shared such a dark existence, caring doesn't seem to matter anymore. I don't think anyone could ever patch up the crater brutality's made in me."

She watched him as Kadaj's eyes dropped to the ground and he let go of her. She could only stare at his slouched form, seeing how broken he was—realizing fully how broken they both were. The cold wind slowly chilled her as the night became deeper, and colder. He was right. She had a gaping hole in her chest, hollow and deep. Such a deep loss couldn't be filled easily. She was missing half of her soul, and she knew that. Maybe, just maybe, they could minister to each other? Maybe she would let him try and fix her?

Almost too soon, but what could she do? The deep feeling of selfless need echoed inside her. Kadaj needed someone to help him up, and she wanted to help him.

"You were right," he whispered, his voice raspy amidst her darkened thoughts. "Jenova _was _controlling me, but you know what? I'd rather be her puppet than live like this. I don't...I don't want to face the reality that nobody cares about me. Nobody wants me. Some people call it childish thinking, I call it my logic. Nobody will ever accept me for who I am." He exclaimed strongly yet quietly.

Those words...came from his innermost and darkest thoughts and she couldn't help her heart from breaking at the sound of his voice. Maybe he was psychotic, violent, and deadly, but deep down, he was a depressed and lonely teenager. She herself was kind of like him too, and as strange and jumbled as she felt, she knew they needed each other. She softly reached out and placed a bare hand over his.

He slowly turned his head towards her, his beautiful silver hair covering half of his face. Unshed tears filled her vision as she fought back tears. Gathering her courage, she grasped his face between her hands and forced him to look at her just as the moon shone down on the water.

"Listen to me... Never ever think that way. Yeah... You were a puppet. _Were! _But you have a new life now. You don't need Jenova. And yes, nobody cared about you, and maybe your parents think you're a failure in their life, but it's not your fault. It was never your fault. You're not an accident," her tears tracked down her cheeks quietly. "...You want to know why? Nobody's ever an accident. There's a reason why you were born. You told me you never opened up to anyone else about this side of you, but you did, to me. And I'm thankful for the trust you have that I will never betray your secret. So will you trust me enough to let me try?" She asked, choking back a sob. "I want to fix you. I want you to be whole, because others don't see how good you are. They don't see the real you, and I have. I want to show Cloud and the others that they were wrong about you. You've changed whether you noticed it or not." She continued; her voice firm. "So don't ever think you're unwanted. I want you."

She whispered the last words, softly leaning her forehead against his.


	34. Chapter 33: Feelings

**Chapter 33: Feelings**

**Kadaj's POV**

Cool, strong hands grip my face, refusing to let me go. I'm staring into these beautiful amethyst eyes, and can't stop myself from falling. Maybe she was right all along—all this stuff about Mother controlling me to get what she wanted—and maybe I should've listened to her. I'm not like this, and this isn't the me I remember. I know she's changed me, taught me how to stop resenting myself. And I've given her nothing.

When I was a kid, all I've ever wanted was to be normal like everybody else. You know? Grow up in a happy family where kids and parents care about each other, go to school, finish college, get a degree, look for a stable job, find someone to marry, have kids of my own, grow old, sit with my wife in a rocking chair on the porch watching our grandchildren horsing around in the yard, grow older and die from old age. Hell, my life now is far from it. It hardly touches the surface of those childish dreams.

You ask why? Well let's see. First of all, I didn't grow up in a happy family. My Mom and Dad wanted to kill each other so badly. Worse, I don't even know my real father. My 'Dad' treats me like an animal. I never experienced school life—meeting kids my age, developing crushes on disgusting little girls with gooey braces, racking my brain for my social status, being bullied around by older kids. I never got a college degree or find a job because in the first place, the rest of my childhood life was spent in a Gaia damned company who treated me and my brothers like lab rats! After that, I know and I'm not even hoping for a normal life anymore. I know I can't reach it, and it's a luxury I can never afford. In all my dishonesty, I'm honestly saying that I've gotten used to becoming a living, breathing killing machine.

I'm not a normal teenager either. I don't think like a teenager. I don't act like an overgrown Chocobo. I'm a leader of a gang who terrorized Midgar for some alien ****h who tells us she's our Mother but is only interested in using her 'sons' as tools. You really can't blame me for going nuts almost all the time, because in the first place, a normal life is an obnoxious way to describe my messed up existence. Heck, I don't even get why I was born in the first place. Oh right... because my Mom was a disgraceful old hag who can't stop herself from shagging the next entrepreneur she sees. Isn't one dumb ass like my Dad enough? She just _had _to have my biological father and give birth to me and hate me for it.

I blame myself for this; everything I've ever done; all the horrible things a human being isn't capable of doing; all the lives I've taken, their blood on my hands, and I didn't even give a damn. I went as far as to murdering the man who made the first five years of my life hell. He deserved it, and maybe those people didn't. I'm terribly confused.

And now, just looking into this girl's eyes, I know she's right.

"It's not your fault," she whispers against my face despite her trembling voice.

Okay, so I kidnapped her. It's a bad start, but I'm still glad I did. If I hadn't, maybe I wouldn't have met the girl who's managed to make me open myself up to such a dark past I've tried so hard to forget. And as ashamed as I am to admit this, I know I care about her. I know I would do anything to protect her, I know I wouldn't let anyone hurt her. Nobody else matters. Just her.

**Normal POV**

Ria stiffened slightly as a warm gloved hand touched her cheek. His fingers brushed away the tears that were still silently pouring from the corners of her eyes. She sobbed, closing her eyes, sighing against the warmth and leaning into his touch as she let go of his face, dropping her hands to the moist dirt.

Kadaj lightly brushed the back of his hand against her right cheek, wanting to permanently stop the tears that would stain her lovely face. They stared into each other's eyes longingly, leaning closer and closer, noses touching as the Remnant nuzzled her right cheek. He stopped a fraction of an inch from her lips, giving her a chance to pull away. However, she wasn't going to let this chance slip away ever again. She had wanted this moment for so long, and she was never going to let go, though still confused.

Kadaj kissed her softly, gently. Ria couldn't stop her trembling, perhaps from fear or doubt, she wasn't sure. But Kadaj was so patient. He refused to be harsh, instead being so tender and careful with her, like he was afraid that she might shy away. His hand moved to cup her chin, tilting her head up slightly so her lips molded better with his. At this notion, she let go of every fear and doubt she was holding, she wrapped her arms comfortably around his neck, inching herself closer to him. She responded softly, kissing him back with as much love she could muster.

'_I'll take care of you... You'll never hurt again... I'll stay by your side...' _

A voice spoke at the back of Ria's head, sounding very much like Kadaj's voice whispering to her. The most comforting words she could ever hear from him—_if_ that was Kadaj. She pulled slightly away from the intoxicating kiss.

"Kadaj?" She managed to murmur despite her lips that were ready to fall against his.

"Hm?" He murmured before kissing her again, dismissing her chances of forming a coherent question.

This time, he let himself give in. The softest purr she ever heard, reverberating in her ears. She tangled her fingers in his silver hair, and didn't object as he laid her back. He softly caressed the side of her neck with his right hand; his left arm wrapped firmly around her waist, and didn't stop until he had her back planted firmly on the ground.

With one last gentle kiss, he pulled back, but rested his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes. Ria smiled gently at him as he settled himself to lie down next to her. She snuggled against his chest, delighting in the warmth of his body temperature, the black leather clothing adding extra warmth.

Just as she laid herself down on the ground, the events of the day made her realize she was a lot more tired than she thought. Her eyelids felt like they had sandbags tied to them, and knew she couldn't keep them open any longer. She risked a look up at the Remnant whose fingertips lightly grazed the back of her neck.

"Kadaj?" She whispered.

"Hm?" Came the silent reply.

"Are we really sleeping here tonight?" She inquired.

"I doubt you're in the best of moods to even go back," he smirked playfully, fingering her braided hair.

She didn't say anything, just closed her eyes against his chest, listening to his beating heart that seemed to synchronize with hers. In all truth, her own heart refused to stop pounding out of her chest.

"I want to see your hair without the braid," Kadaj remarked nonchalantly, and Ria timidly reached behind her, and brought the braided part of her hair over her shoulder.

He sighed, and she watched as his nimble fingers untied the black satin ribbon that held her hair together at the end. The ribbon lay forgotten on the cold ground. Ria kept watching as the Remnant ran his fingers through her hairstyle. The braid slowly unraveled, unwinding just as Kadaj's gloved fingers ran through them. He stared in bewilderment as her long dark-brown hair cascaded through his fingers, the strands silky and soft.

"Well, this is a sight I never thought I'd see," he commented, seeing her meaningful stare. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "You look beautiful by the way."

Ria couldn't help but blush. She turned away from him, her back pressed against his chest, his arm around her waist. She continuously stared at the dark water and the small patch of light the moonlight was creating. She could feel Kadaj's hot breath tingling down the back of her neck while his fingers tangled themselves in her hair.

"You can sleep, Ria. You're safe. I'll protect you..." Kadaj whispered and waited until her breathing evened out, indicating her slumber.

The Remnant closed his eyes, and knew deep down in his heart, he'd protect her from every threat. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her. Slowly, his eyes began to droop and shut as he tightened his hold on her one last time.

vVvVv

The birds chirped happily and a cool breeze blew through the entire clearing, and at the leaves of the trees that formed a canopy above. Sunlight filtered through the spaces between the leaves and glittered against the crystal pool of blue water where the couple lay quietly, still asleep.

Ever so slowly, Kadaj's cyan serpentine eyes opened and focused on the slight weight resting against him. Ria still lay there, asleep and so well-rested in his arms. She murmured something in her sleep that sounded like his name. As much as he loved lying here with her in their little clearing, they had to get up and get ready for the day. Trevor and his brothers were probably looking for them by now.

He tucked a portion of her hair behind her ear, and whispered:

"Hey Ria?" He whispered. "Wake up. It's time to go back."

The brunette steered in response. Kadaj watched as her eyes fluttered open, revealing shining amethyst orbs. She was gazing at him now, taking in his features framed by the sun's rays filtering through the treetops. She gazed at him for a second longer before closing her eyes and snuggling back against the comforting warmth.

Kadaj smiled to himself, stroking her hair with his fingers, he stared at the girl clinging to him. "C'mon... Get up. We really have to go back," he sighed heavily.

"What time is it?" she slurred against his leather coat.

"No idea. I don't have a watch. But we'd better get up. I'm sure the others are already wondering where we are."

She grumbled something incoherently and lightly traced the skin at his neck with her bare finger. "I don' wanna..."

Kadaj chuckled and rolled his eyes. He sat up, fully intending that she believe that he was leaving and startle herself awake. Well, she _did _notice his immediate absence, and quickly got up, eyes flying open and found herself face to face with the most recent object of her affection.

"_That _certainly woke you up," he teased, earning a sharp slap on the shoulder from the brunette.

"You startled me!" She screeched.

"Awww... Why don't you just admit that you're afraid that I might leave you here," he taunted her some more, standing up and stretching as he did.

Ria glared at him. "Shut up... I can take care of myself perfectly well," she shot back, taking his gloved hand when he offered to help her up.

Their annoying cheeky little banter was back, and the emotional teenagers hanging out in the clearing last night had disappeared. Kadaj and Ria were back to their usual selves, like nothing happened. This time though, Kadaj was a little more sensitive when he cracked his witty jokes, and Ria didn't feel bad about any of them. Her only problem was hiding her giggles. There was no denying it, that they had strong feelings for each other.

Kadaj and Ria began their short-walk back to base. As they neared the hideout though, the Remnant had taken it to himself to ask her something before they slipped some more.

"So are we going to hide this from the others for now, or do we tell them the grand news?" Kadaj smirked at the little pun.

"They'll find out soon enough," Ria sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck, stopping short on their way back.

Kadaj smiled before leaning in and catching her lips in his. They kissed for two seconds before breaking apart and agreeing they'd keep it a secret for now, and let the truth unravel for itself.

vVvVv

"Well, well, well..." Loz grinned wolfishly seeing the two teens enter from the back door. "Where have you two been last night?"

Ria turned red at the statement. She glanced at Kadaj who appeared unfazed at his brother's comments. He just shrugged, walked quickly to a corner of the room, picked the darkest dumb apple from the fruit basket, and took a bite.

"Is there something we should know about?" Yazoo's voice rang out as he entered the dining room.

He looked at Kadaj who was leaning against the counter, munching on the blue fruit. He looked at Ria quite pointedly and returned to the object of his attention. Yazoo's eyes flew back and forth from Ria to Kadaj, wondering what in Mother's name was up these two. Just as he was about to say something, Trevor came rushing in from his bedroom.

"Is Ria back?" He huffed out, everyone's stares directed at him.

No kidding, the look the young man was sporting was disheveled and he literally had just gone out of bed. He blinked in surprise when he saw the Remnant's amused and curious stares directed at him. Ria looked immensely taken aback too. Trevor cleared his throat quietly and straightened himself out. The brunette could've laughed at the guys' faces.

"You're back..." Trevor stated.

"Yeah..." Came Ria's simple reply, eyes downcast.

Something was up, Trevor could read his best friend perfectly well, and he wouldn't prod her about it now, but he definitely would later on.

"Where've you two been last night?" Trevor inquired curiously.

"I don't know about Kadaj, but I was in my private place… I wanted to be alone to think last night," Ria explained convincingly.

Kadaj was finishing his apple when the others' stares fell on him.

"What are you looking at?" The Remnant leader demanded harshly.

"And you?" Yazoo raised one silver brow.

"Around..."

With that said, the teen made his oh so dramatic exit. He walked calmly and nonchalantly out of the room, Yazoo's cat eyes following him. He knew his little brother was an excellent liar, but something just felt off. He felt like he lost something, and that Kadaj was really lying. That feeling was unusual though, because whenever Kadaj lied, he gets away with it. Loz is the dumbest of the brothers to always buy into everything the Remnant leader says. Yazoo was just a follower. He went along with Kadaj's plans all the time, but that didn't mean he never objected—if only in his head. But nothing ever went wrong when they let Kadaj have his way, so why doubt his movements now all of a sudden?

vVvVv

"Any recent developments?" Ria inquired, arms folded across her chest as she watched Trevor whose face was glued to the computer monitor.

"Yeah... And they're good ones," he agreed, though not looking up once. "Remember when Yazoo and I confirmed we'd be able to infiltrate Shin-Ra in two weeks?" He waited and continued when Ria nodded once. "We're far off appropriate. I think this one's risky, but it's so much better. We'll intrude Shin-Ra in three days."

"I don't get why we need to plan these things..." She sighed heavily.

Trevor gave her a dry look. "You're an Agent of Shin-Ra for three years, and you don't get why we plan these sorts of things?"

"I know... I get it... I mean... Why would we need planning when we've practically got the psychos who're far better than us?" She questioned, this causing Trevor to pause, his fingers hanging slightly above the keyboard.

"Do _you _trust their leader who never thinks?" He countered.

Ria shrugged, choosing her words carefully. "You're not the one they kidnapped in the first place. I saw what he's capable of, even if he does go by instinct." She snapped, realizing that she was defending him.

"It's not like I'm demeaning him or anything. I know that kid's scary enough, but I just don't trust him making the plans. I'm far off better at believing his older brothers." Trevor explained, tapping away on the keyboard.

"But he's their leader," she objected, her voice rising.

Trevor blinked and looked back at her. "Calm down. I'm not killing him am I?" He touched her lower arm lightly, and turned back to his job.

"She's right. I _am _their leader. I think you know that," came the strong but dangerous voice from the doorway.

The two Agents whirled around and stared as the silver-haired figure came to view. Kadaj stood a good ways away from them, staying rooted to his spot, having heard every word that had been exchanged.

"What exactly were you two talking about?" He asked, levelheadedly.

"Future plans..." Trevor answered simply, turning back to the monitor.

"Shin-Ra in three days?" Kadaj raised an eyebrow, closing his distance between the two.

He quietly made his way over, purposely brushing his hand against Ria's. She glanced at him, catching his questioning gaze. She shook her head minutely, silently telling him to let it go. Trevor stood up just then.

"Hey Ria? Mind checking out this database for me, and I'll come back in ten minutes. I just remembered something lying around in my room," he exclaimed, pushing back the office chair and heading outside.

Ria took his place, Kadaj standing right behind her. She began doing what she was told until she felt a pair of hands lightly massaging her shoulders. Tilting her head all the way back, she stared at the silver-haired teen gracing her with a devious smirk.

"What exactly are you doing?" She muttered.

"You're tense..." he remarked coolly.

"Yeah... Sure." She returned to her old position and began scanning the whole database.

His smooth gloved hands continued their mini massage, wandering up to caress the sides of her neck lightly with his fingers. She sighed, feeling a soft kiss alight on her left cheek.

"Kadaj, what-?"

"Do you guys trust me?" He whispered against her ear.

"Of course," she replied with a small smile.

"Doesn't sound like it..."

"Trev's just confused," she sighed, turning to him, her lips lightly touching his. She sighed against his mouth once more as he softly began kissing her.

"About what?" He demanded, punctuating his question with a harsh tap of his tongue against her lips.

"Nothing..." She hushed him, wrapping her arms around his leather clad neck.

"How long has this been going on?!"

Looks like prodding the situation wasn't really necessary after all...


	35. Chapter 34: Infiltration

**Chapter 34: Infiltration**

**Deliria's POV**

Trevor caught Kadaj and I making out in the office the other day. Well, that was embarrassing to say the least. It didn't take me forever to convince and beg my best friend to keep it a secret. Trevor complied after my puppy eyes' act, and Kadaj's intense death glares. You can tell me I'm overreacting, but I feared for my best friend's life. A normal human being truly doesn't want to see those cat eyes glaring at them.

[Flashback]

"_How long has this been going on?!" Trevor's voice echoed against the metal walls of the EBH office._

_I found myself freaking out despite Kadaj's random voice screaming in my head to ignore. Really, I hate to say, but Trev really _did _destroy the romantic moment. I pulled away quickly, wiping my mouth, hoping to rid the taste of Kadaj's lips from my tongue._

"_Hey Trev," I greeted almost too innocently._

_Kadaj stood still, looking stern and uncaring. Meanwhile, I pity Trevor. I caught his eyes flying back and forth between us, probably trying to figure out what the hell was going on._

"_Explain," Trevor's numb lips finally moved after staying frozen for three seconds._

_I found myself taking deep breaths, and I walked closer to my really confused, really shocked best friend. He refused to budge from his post, and I caught Kadaj smirking from his place in the room._

"_Before I do, can you promise me—us—that neither his brothers would know?" I asked hopefully._

"_Oh-kay... Why not?" Trevor spoke slowly, still trying to decipher what I really meant. Really, for an experienced guy, Trev can get dense sometimes when he's in a state of shock._

"_You really want Yazoo and Loz to freak out?" Kadaj spoke up from behind me. I had to turn and stop his advance._

"'_Course not, but why not?"_

_I sighed heavily. I knew I was getting nowhere with this conversation, and I had to explain things or stuff could go to the worst._

"_About last night... Kadaj and I were up late talking," I explained, long story short so Trev would quit bothering me about it but that only made things worse._

"_About what? And what'd you do after? Are you sure you don't wanna tell those two?" Trev ranted in a barrage of endless questions that had Kadaj seething and growling and he freed his arm from my grasp._

"_Is it really your annoying little habit to make other people's conversations, your business?" Kadaj shot back and I knew then and there that things were heating up and probably had gone on fire if I hadn't stopped it._

_Trevor was about to snap, but I took control of the situation before the two most important guys in my life began killing each other. I stepped in between them and hurriedly turned to my best friend._

"_Calm down... I'll explain everything clearer next time, but now's really not the time. For now, just please trust us and keep it a secret..." I begged, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes._

_Lucky me, my best friend's soft side lies in that look and we won him to our side. Kadaj glared at Trevor, much to my disagreement, but I didn't stop him. Trevor agreed fully and eventually, and dinner time that night had been awkward since Yazoo kept pulling up places next to me, and poor Kadaj was trying his best to ignore it, but really wasn't._

[End of Flashback]

Today though, I'm preparing for our latest not so intriguing mission yet. We're going to Shin-Ra to find what we can about my parents. Fortunately, the Remnants agreed because after Yazoo had discovered a new project cooking, we all couldn't resist passing up the chance to know what Shin-Ra's up to. I don't trust that company. At all.

It's been days, and Kadaj and I are so close; we're closer than best friends. No duh? He's practically my boyfriend, but I still think it's weird to call him that. I won't settle calling him my lover either. I call him by name for those of you who love all the cheesy nicknames couples give to each other. Like hell, nobody cares about _that_.

So anyway, I'm getting off track. Right now, I'm tying my damp wet brown locks into a ponytail, and then sluggishly begin braiding it all the way down. I tie the end with the same black ribbon and brush my bangs to the side of my face. If I say so myself, I'm looking alright. We're leaving in three minutes according to Kadaj, and his old time limit obsessed guy image shows up right about now.

I'm half expecting a bang on the door just like before, but instead, soft knocking greets my ears. I walk to the door and open it, catching my feet against a floor board and stumbling into somebody's arms. I look up and I'm not surprised to see Kadaj looking down at me curiously.

"You ready? We're leaving..."

I blink, and pull away from him. I give the guy a generous nod of my head which means 'thank you', and right my clothes.

"I was just about to leave the room when you came in..."

"Hm... Seems right, but now's not the right time to admire my timing..."

He's been like this lately; cracking little puns here and there in almost every conversation we have. It's getting a bit on my nerves, but hey, we've got more important things to worry about. For one, we're going to have to get past all the security guards in daylight. Piece of cake for us, but I'm worrying more about what we might find. As shocking as the results could be, I promised Trevor I wouldn't freak out.

Saying nothing, Kadaj and I descend downstairs to join the others.

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

The group had arrived in Shin-Ra's new building that was still under construction, but the first two floors were decent enough to be called a lab. Ria guessed this was their new location and quietly wondered if Cloud and AVALANCHE knew about it. And speaking of Cloud, she hadn't seen him in ages. How were they?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Trevor lightly tapped her shoulder. She shifted her eyes to him. He gave her one slight nod and handed her a gadget the Agents used to use for communication. It really came in handy to get in touch with the past once in a while.

With regards to how they were going to carry it out, they had discussed it, and things would hopefully work out splendidly. Splendid being a minor description to the task. Ria sighed heavily, and pocketed the gadget. The Remnants were to take their positions right about now. They weren't supposed to talk inside the building because this new Shin-Ra standard was improved a lot. They had voice detectors now—devices that only recognize a Shin-Ra personnel's voice, and security cams, and even motion sensors. In her opinion, it was just far too much, but she also got the smug feeling that their trauma had been caused by the Healin massacre that had happened months ago.

Trevor went ahead to secure his perimeter, and she had stayed behind to await orders from their command system who was—not surprisingly—Kadaj. The stubborn mule had insisted, so they let him be. Her cellphone vibrated continuously and she fished it out of her pocket.

"_Area no. 3 secured. All clear. Avoid the electrified fence you meet on your right._"

"Have it in my sights Psycho #1. How high?"

Kadaj chuckled on the other line. "_Sixty volts. Don't get fried... Yazoo will meet you on the south side entrance, by the way._"

"Copied," she whispered hastily, swiftly trying to find a way around the electrified fence. "Wait... What's your position?"

"_Sixty-five meters from your placement. I'm near the main entrance. What's your position?_"

"Approximately three feet from the fence—an estimate. How do I get past it? I don't really think climbing it is an option..."

"_No duh?_" Kadaj 'hmphed' on the other line. "_I just received a message from Trev. He's got the code for your security fence. Look for a small security device at the east wall of the little house thingy..._" The Remnant instructed.

"By 'house thingy', you mean, the little warehouse I'm staring at in the back of the main building, right?"

"_...Yeah. Go eastward and find the security machine I'm talking about. Punch in code 535... Get moving_," he commanded calmly.

Ria walked swiftly towards the direction he was talking about and carefully sought out the device that was about the size of a small piece of bread. Her head whipped around to check for unwanted company, but found none, so she returned to her task at hand. Typing in the stolen code, she watched as the electricity on the fence sizzled and died down, indicating its deactivation.

Quickly, Ria opened the barbed fenced gate and stepped through. Just as she had though, the wires came to life once more, crackling with dangerous energy. She took a deep breath, glad that she had managed to sneak in. Luckily, there were no security cams present just yet. Was Shin-Ra this dumb? But it looked like the outside _had_ motion sensors.

"Psycho #1, I'm in... Approaching south entrance..." She informed him.

"_Good..._" Came the monosyllabic reply.

"Warn me if voice detectors exist," she whispered into the mouth piece of the phone, and continued walking forward.

"_Better I'd do it now, then... As soon as you meet Yazoo, you two will have to pass through some acid sprinklers occupying the ceiling that have voice detectors and motion sensors. As long as you don't talk, you won't be recognized. And don't make any sudden movements indicating you're in a hurry, or you'll set it off. I don't think Yaz would like the sound of his hair disintegrating and so would you. Act as casual as possible. Yazoo knows what to do in case you guys slip..._" Kadaj instructed, hanging up on their conversation.

Ria huffed. So it was all up to Yazoo then. Well, she had made it to the door, and it swung open revealing Yazoo's pale face framed by veils of silver. He nodded once, and motioned for her to join him. Wordlessly, they walked the long empty halls lined with marble tiles for floors. Ria glanced up cautiously, and noticed the blinking red lights on the ceilings. She bit her lip, still continuing on her way. Meanwhile, she was jealous of how Yazoo was pulling off such a task so effortlessly. He would occasionally look to his right, or to his left out of curiosity. He made her feel like she had a stiff neck. Good thing there were no such things as fear detectors...yet.

Of course, the sound of boots thudding heavily on the tiled floor only made her heart pump faster, and she could feel it pounding heavily on her chest. Amethyst eyes locked with Mako ones, and Yazoo lifted a finger against his lips. She followed his lead as they rounded a corner where the footsteps seemed to be coming, and it was getting louder. Yazoo walked calmly, yet fast enough that they'd reach a gap in the wall. Yazoo waited as the man approached. He looked to be somewhat in his forties, with thinning brown hair, and from what the Remnant could see, a Shin-Ra standard taser gripped in one hand.

Ria watched as Yazoo pulled out a syringe filled with some strange transparent liquid from one of the many folds of his black leather outfit. Yazoo nodded once at her, and quick as lightning as the man approached, Ria stepped out of hiding, and wrestled with the man's arms and covered his mouth quickly. Before any of them could utter a sound, the man fell limp. She looked up to see Yazoo still holding the syringe upward, the contents of said object gone. He hurriedly grabbed her arm, and quickly ushered her out of the hall and through a door just as the acid sprinklers went off.

"That was certainly uncalled for," Yazoo remarked stoically.

Ria tilted her head, cautious not to utter a sound which made the male chuckle, knowing her thoughts.

"There aren't detectors here. We're free to talk as long as we keep it down," he nodded once.

"Great job back there, but where are we?" She inquired, Yazoo shrugged. Her phone began vibrating again, and she answered the call.

"_That was close. You shouldn't have wrestled him_," came the indignant comment from the other line.

"We got out anyway. And where _are _you?" She replied gruffly.

"_Just invaded the control room on the second floor. Don't worry, I didn't cause trouble. Say... I need to talk to Yazoo_," Kadaj affirmed, reclining back on the office chair as he held his phone to his ear.

Ria nodded at his instruction and held the phone out to the long-haired Remnant. "He wants to talk to you."

"What is it brother?" Yazoo inquired nonchalantly.

"_Just called prior to tell you that there's a hidden cam in the room you're in..._" Kadaj crooned mischievously.

"How would you know?" Yazoo asked curiously.

"_How else would I see what you're doing down there? And tell Ria she has to stop fiddling with her bra strap._" Kadaj added as an afterthought, staring into the monitor as Yazoo's face flashed annoyance.

"Hold it... You're in the control room?"

Kadaj rolled his eyes. "_Would they have security cam monitors in the restroom?_" He shot back sarcastically.

"Quit goofing around Kadaj. And what exactly are you doing up there?"

"_Sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying the shows. I can see what Reno's doing... He's watching..._" A pause on the other line. "_Something indecent._"

"Okay, so why'd you call? I know you didn't exactly ring us up just to tell me that Reno's being perverted while on duty." Yazoo droned, glancing at Ria who was looking around the room.

Kadaj snickered. "_Loz and Trevor are on their way to Rufus' office. I suggest you do the same. I'll stay up here and be your Intel..._" The Remnant grinned at Yazoo's reaction.

"Copied..." Yazoo hung up and turned to Ria. "We're going to Rufus' office... Oh and Kadaj wanted to tell you to stop fiddling with your bra strap."

Ria's cheeks turned a beet red. She'd definitely slug Kadaj later on.

vVvVv

"This is it?" Ria blinked upon seeing the white room covered in simple furniture.

"Building's under construction, so it's probably not done yet," Yazoo stated, carefully replacing his Velvet Nightmare on its holster.

"Where are Loz and Trev?" The brunette turned towards Yazoo who was now busying himself with Shin-Ra's desk.

"Around here somewhere..."

It was then that the intercom located in the far east wall buzzed and a very familiar voice was heard, ringing out distortedly through the room.

"_Nobody's managed to find me up here...yet. Tell you what; Trev and Loz are in there somewhere. I lost my sight of'em when they entered Rufus's office._" Kadaj crowed and Ria could just imagine the happy little lilt in his voice.

Yazoo pressed a button on Shin-Ra's desk, and spoke.

"Kadaj, you seriously need to leave out the surprise talks and calls... And Trevor and Loz aren't here," he complained slightly.

Ria was already ahead of him, looking for a hidden entrance. She hated to admit the fact that Trevor was better at finding secret places than she was. It was seriously wounding her ego and her pride. She didn't want to risk calling him for fear of certain obstructions against the signal.

"_Like hell, I know!_" Kadaj snapped, causing the speaker to vibrate. "_I saw them get in there. Maybe there's a secret room or something..._"

"Sure little brother. Ria and I will be looking..." Yazoo spoke, letting the button go but not effectively drowning Kadaj's complaints.

Meanwhile, Ria was hurriedly and harshly pushing against random spaces on the walls, hoping to uncover a hollow spot. There was no such luck. They could be anywhere around the room. She sighed heavily.

"Hey Yazoo? Could you try checking underneath his desk? See if there's hollow things that might lead to an entrance..."

So Ria and Yazoo looked and looked, and soon didn't notice the intercom's buzzing slowly fading out to static noises—sizzling and crackling like electrical wires. They continued searching and nearly took them forever to find it, but really, only ten minutes later. Still took them long enough. At long last, they managed to find it behind a suspicious supply closet pushed against a wall. Yazoo had slowly pushed it aside, revealing a slight wooden door that was their ticket to yet another confusing room. After much hustle and bustle along with trouble in prying that stupid thing open, the door had parted and Ria stepped through first followed quietly by Yazoo. And upon finding their fellow teammates, Ria had not been expecting Trevor's quiet reaction when he saw her.

vVvVv

"Trev... What's wrong? I don't like the look you're giving me," she whispered almost cautiously.

Trevor remained dumbfounded, and Ria and Yazoo found themselves looking at the eldest Remnant who was quietly rifling through some papers, and from what Yazoo could see, his brother was just as bothered as to whatever he was looking through.

Yazoo stepped over slowly, and took the hardcopy Trevor was holding out. And the more he read, the more he was seeing the worst. Shin-Ra _was _planning something after all, and it wasn't good.

"Ria... We... We were right all along. Kadaj was right." Trevor spoke through near frozen lips.

"Let me see that," Ria asked, reaching out for the paper the others were passing. Yazoo handed it to her.

"Oh Gaia," she mumbled under her breath.

Shin-Ra was working on a clone—another Sephiroth—that had the same capacity as the first; the same capacity to destroy a planet. Maybe Shin-Ra had plans for the better, but nothing good could ever come from their experiments. They had proved it themselves time and time again.

"They still need Jenova's head if they want to produce a recreation. Or..." she trailed off, thinking the worst. "Take a man with the same genetically enhanced genes and harbor his cells. They could be after you," Ria explained, turning to the Remnants as she spoke.

"It's hardly possible, but not _impossible_. Loz and I are remnants of Sephiroth, but they want Kadaj more. If they'll harbor his cells, there is no chance of surviving DNA coming with it." Yazoo explained, the cogs in his brain working to piece Shin-Ra's puzzle. "My guess is that they want him to procreate his own species directly from his lineage."

"Shin-Ra wants to revive SOLDIER..." Ria stated numbly.

"That's their main objective..." Trevor spoke amidst everyone's shared opinions.

"Does that mean they'll be after Kadaj more than us?" Loz asked innocently.

"Yeah Loz. We'll have to look after each other..." Yazoo explained, still in profound daze at the new information.

"Oh and Ria?" Trevor started. "Loz and I found some files about the Agents' backgrounds. I think you'd better check and see if yours is in there," he suggested, handing the brunette a bunch of fat brown envelopes.

Ria's cellphone started vibrating again, indicating a call. She fished it out of her pocket, scowling and rather annoyed at Kadaj for bothering them every second.

"_Tell Yazoo you could kill me guys later. But you need to get out of there. Rufus just entered his office, and there's ninety-nine percent chances of him heading to wherever you guys are_," Kadaj growled on the other line. "_I hate being blind like this! Just get out of there now. We can't risk them finding us out. Just kill when it's necessary. And don't draw too much attention._"

He hung up, just like that as the sound of the metal door creaked open. As much as Ria appreciated Kadaj's warning, it came a little late. She couldn't exactly blame him for anything, but still. Rufus had wandered into the room with two scientists in tow. Ria stuffed the envelope harshly in her knapsack. One look at her groups' eyes, they knew they had to high tail it out of there. Things were going to get bloody.


	36. Chapter 35: Discoveries

**A/N: And my third quite important OC shall be introduced. I say 'quite' because he doesn't play a very important role at all. He's just Ria's previous lover.**

* * *

**Chapter 35: Discoveries**

**Normal POV**

The group had managed to find a safer to place to exit. Another secret passage in Rufus' office was found and it was located near the back door. The elevator led to the main hallway which was a very terrible mistake. They had ended up in plain sight of every Shin-Ra personnel in the room. Good thing Reno was still in some private place viewing indecent things. Kadaj was still in the control room, agreeing he'd meet them back at the place where they'd park their bikes.

Ria sighed. Why didn't things go down easy? Guards started calling for backup. To put it simply, four strangers had sent the whole Shin-Ra Company in uproar. Yazoo immediately drew out Velvet Nightmare on instinct and began fighting his way through, keeping an eye on Ria at the same time. Loz apparently had decided to take down as many guards as possible. Trevor on the other hand, began shooting tranquilizer darts to knock out personnel one by one. In a matter of seconds, the lobby had turned into a bloody battlefield. Most of Shin-Ra's personnel were dead just as the Turks began arriving at the scene. Ria couldn't help but to try and resist the urge to puke. The smell of blood lingered heavily in the air as the fight raged on.

One guy attempted to knock Yazoo out senseless, but the Remnant was far quicker. Dodging swiftly to the side, Yazoo avoided the taser that was supposed to connect with his neck. Reaching out the arm where his gun was, the Remnant released the two bullets that lodged themselves in the man's eyes, spurting blood. Ria gagged from behind him, suddenly remembering what Kadaj had told her before. She was an Agent, so _why_ wasn't she used to gore already? The turning of her stomach brought her to her senses again as a grenade went off in their far right.

"Let's go," Yazoo commanded, catching her wrist in a vice-like grip and dragging her forward.

"What about Loz, and Trevor?" She screamed over the chaos.

"Loz is already outside. Trevor will be okay."

She didn't get the chance to answer as Yazoo hauled her away from the gruesome—yet short—battle that took place.

vVvVv

The group met back at their rendezvous point only to realize that one person was still missing.

"Where's Kadaj?" Yazoo asked, keeping a firm hold on the handlebar of his motorbike.

"No… We have to go back for him!" Ria concluded, determinedly taking a step forward only to have Trevor hinder her.

"He can get out. If I managed to evade a battlefield in a closed space as a mere human, how much more can he?"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Loz. Ria on the other hand was on the verge of crying, worried sick if Kadaj would be able to make it out or not. Not that she doubted his supernatural abilities, she was just concerned. Nobody knew about their relationship except Trevor. Yazoo was getting suspicious, but that's beside the point. She bit her trembling lip and hoped to Gaia he'd come out alive.

So they waited quietly. Everyone was startled when a loud explosion came from downhill. The group looked only to see that the right side of Shin-Ra's building was on fire. Shin-Ra helicopters were in the air already. A rescue operation was going on. Loz just blinked. Trevor and Ria wore shocked expressions, though the latter's feelings were tangled between worrying for Kadaj's safety and guilt for the immense amount of trouble they'd caused. Yazoo appeared unfazed.

"Kadaj," Ria mumbled under her breath, amethyst eyes fixed at the raging flames licking the sky with black smoke rising.

"Well, that's the end of that problem," came a silky voice that was very familiar.

Everyone turned around and behind them stood a silver-haired teen in black leather with a cruel smirk on his face as he took pleasure at the sight of the burning building. His brothers acknowledged his presence with a nod.

"What did you do?" Trevor asked frantically with wide eyes.

"I took care of the mess, that's what…" The teen rolled his eyes at the older boy staring at him.

"Don't you ever think? _That-_" Trevor gestured towards the burning building. "-could've been you're most idiotic idea yet. So many people's lives are now in _your_ hands. Who knows how many were killed?"

"Gaia knows. Shut up... We're alive aren't we?" Kadaj snapped, irritation staining his tone.

"This is stupid," Trevor muttered, breaking up the argument for the better.

Kadaj folded his arms across his chest and smirked. Trevor mounted his motorbike and so did Yazoo and Loz. Kadaj began making his way to his ride when he noticed Ria was staying rooted to her spot, staring at the burning building.

"You coming? You got what you needed," Kadaj spoke softly, standing next to her. "Damn..."

Ria passed out, the Remnant leader catching her before she even hit the ground.

vVvVv

The world was a blur, a mess of colors everywhere. Ria slowly came to her senses after passing out because of the harsh instances that happened earlier that day. The first thing she noticed was that she was in her room in the EBH, lying on her bed. The second thing coming to mind was that someone was stroking her hair. Slowly, her eyes began to focus and they landed on one particular being she had been longing to be alone with at the moment.

"Kadaj…" She rasped out, her throat feeling extremely dry.

He paused in stroking her hair to reach for the glass of water on the bed-side table. He held it up to her lips for her to drink. After quenching her thirst, she voiced the question lingering in the back of her head.

"What happened?" She pushed herself up so her back was against the headboard.

"You passed out," he replied with a slight frown, taking her hand and massaging her fingers carefully.

They were silent for a while, letting each other's presence warm them. Kadaj had crawled onto her bed, and settled her carefully on his lap, keeping a protective arm around her delicate form. His lips were pressed to the top of her head as she rested her head on his broad shoulder.

"What happened exactly? What's shaken you up so hard that you had to pass out at the end of a mission?" He asked quietly, threading his fingers through her hair that tumbled down past her shoulders, stopping at her waist.

"It's just... so much blood. Even though I'm used to the sight of it, I always get that funny feeling in my stomach whenever I see dead bodies everywhere," her bottom lip trembled slightly.

Kadaj closed his eyes as he began to pepper the side of her face with soft kisses, his fingers caressing her skin as he brushed hair strands from her face.

"You understand, don't you?" she asked hesitantly, turning so he could see her eyes bringing the sweet moment to a gentle pause.

"Of course I do. Everyone fears something," he stated simply before sealing their lips together.

Her arms wrapped around his neck as her fingers began playing with his silver locks. His arm tightened around her slim waist as he pulled her closer to him, if that was even possible. She parted her mouth slowly when his tongue asked for access. And as quick as it all started, light flashed through Kadaj's mind. He was suddenly seeing a battle, dead bodies everywhere; dark red blood covered the bleached tiled floors. He felt the sudden urge to puke and someone was tugging at his arm. He looked up to see Yazoo and his world went blank...

'_Kadaj...'_ Ria's voice murmured.

He felt her grip around his neck tighten. The Remnant drew his tongue back and pulled away. Kadaj was very confused as he stared into her eyes wanting to know the scene he had just witnessed. Ria clung to him, tighter than before, in shock of what had happened while he was kissing her. There was a faint whisper at the back of her head, and it was the same icy voice that had haunted her once in a dream claiming her as its daughter but while she and Kadaj were kissing, it was whispering: 'my son' over and over again that it chilled her to the bone. It couldn't have been Jenova. She was dead.

vVvVv

Ria was alone in the office, carefully putting away some papers and reaching into her knapsack to find the fat brown envelopes Trevor had salvaged from Shin-Ra earlier that day. She took the topmost one and opened the flap slowly, and pulled out all the contents and set them gently on the desk. The boys were still eating dinner and she took the opportunity to search in advance. She carefully thumbed through them selecting a random folder to whom she knew the Agent since they weren't arranged in alphabetical order anyway. Cassie Grove. The picture was of a twelve-year old girl with cropped dark brown hair, a ghost of a smile flickering to her face, like she was unsure. Cassie was one of the girls in the program Ria really enjoyed going on missions with. Sadly, she had died during one. An assassin had killed her, which was all she knew since that's what they've been told. Who knew if it was a lie or not?

She carefully read through the file leading up to her friend's death. They weren't lying about her being murdered while on a mission. It was the killer that had her seething with rage. Apparently, Cassie had been found out to be involved with Reno in some manner. And the obnoxious redheaded Turk had been the one to take her life after a mandatory order. It was Rufus' order. Crumpling the sheet, she threw it in the general direction of the wastebasket, not caring if it had landed right or not.

She began searching through all of them, reading their deaths whether she knew them or not. Most of the Agents had died during Meteor, and the demolition that had occurred. Minority of the Agents had been assassinated or murdered or had died during a mission, and she felt sick to the core that Shin-Ra was the reason for their deaths.

Hours passed as she continued searching each file, not coming across hers or Trevor's. She found Lucio's and even Kent's. She came across a folder that had belonged to somebody she knew before. This somebody had turned out to be her ex-boyfriend who had cheated on her.

_Name: Drake Daire_

_Age: 15_

_Origin: Junon_

The rest of the file comprised of Drake's missions before he died. She cursed the fact that even in a printed photo, she still found him attractive. No kidding. Most of the female Agents were head over heels for him. He was considered a Casanova, and that was why Ria had never liked him in the first place. He had straight blonde hair, and emerald green eyes. His lips were full and rosy and he had a straight nose. He was tan too. Drake looked just like any other normal guy out there. During training encounters, she had witnessed him to be a black belt at martial arts. And the SOLDIER to whom he was assigned was Angeal Hewley. The thought of Drake had her mind reeling because she had been strangely attracted to his misbehavior around women. He loved pestering them to the limits of their patience. He drank alcohol and smoked whenever he got the chance, and once, when he and Ria were dating, he had invited her to try doing meth with him.

The bad habits mentioned are just a few. There were more. He loved picking fights to inject into everyone's thoughts that he was the tough guy who wasn't worth messing with. He used to be a rich kid, but his father—an entrepreneur, and Shin-Ra Company's partner—volunteered him as an Agent to 'bring honor to their family'. Yeah... She and Drake had gotten together when Ria was fourteen.

[Flashback]

_Ria sat alone in her room. It was almost time for lights out and the brunette considered killing most of her time reading a very interesting book. The lead male's character, reminded her so much of Drake. She had encountered him several times over the past week now and he had been so keen into charming her out of her wits. Trevor had warned her about him, but promised he wouldn't get in her way, whatever her decision would be. Ria wasn't afraid to admit that she had a serious crush on him, but it was his character she detested. She just hoped that if they_did _come together, he'd change for the better... all for her._

_The fourteen-year old Agent was startled as three loud knocks came at her door. She dropped the leather bound book. Getting to her feet, she picked it up and placed it back on her bed-side table. She opened the door only to meet the one person who had been occupying her thoughts most of the day._

"_Hey..." He greeted, flashing a brilliant smile that showed his teeth._

"_Hi," she muttered, still holding the door a crack._

_He frowned slightly. "Can I come in?"_

"_What do you need?" She interjected sharply pushing him back when he tried to get past her._

"_Nothing really... I just want someone to talk to... Will you let me in if I promise to give you a hug when I leave?" He clucked his tongue and winked at her suggestively._

"_The hug's not necessary..." She said as she let him in._

_She closed the door, heaved a sigh, and turned back around only to catch him checking out her personal space at Shin-Ra's. Once he was done, he casually plopped down on her bed and looked at her._

"_What do you want to talk about?" She inquired, still standing near the door._

_Drake sighed and sat up. "Relax," he chided. "I'm not here to brawl. I wanna be frank with you, doll. Do you think I'm hot?"_

_His question had taken her aback, and Ria seriously considered grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and tossing him out into the hallway, making him feel like he was an abused cat. She didn't care what his reaction would be. But at the very moment, she stayed rooted to her spot, unable to move._

"_W-What?" She stammered._

"_Do you think I'm hot?" He repeated the question as he got up and stood right in her face._

"_I...I'm not sure..." She remarked honestly, baffled by his closeness and finding herself unable to look away from those mesmerizing emerald eyes._

"_Well, I think you're gorgeous..." he whispered against her skin, his hot breath rushed across her face, causing her to blush fiercely._

_She was about to babble out some random words but he really wasn't listening. He just kissed her frankly, carelessly slipping his tongue into her mouth and pinning her harshly against the wall. She pushed him away all of a sudden, shocked and unsure about how she was supposed to feel. Drake stepped back over to her and caressed the side of her face, whispering comforting nonsense as he claimed her lips once more. This time, she kissed him back, realizing how wonderful it felt._

_It was official. They were together._

[End of Flashback]

Three years later, Ria realized how stupid she was back then. How reckless and naïve to even trust that slithering snake that couldn't resist getting his hands on some random whore he meets at the bar. She was seething with fury when she found out, and she could've killed him to. The next few days, he had begged her to forgive him. But nothing he said or done would ever turn her back. She had seen and heard enough proof to stabilize the act. The night after, Drake was reported missing after a mission. A search was conducted for the missing Agent, but Drake had disappeared. Shin-Ra considered him dead since they hadn't heard from him a year later. Well, in Ria's opinion, it was good riddance.

She put his designated folder down and sighed. She continued her search and found her personal moment of truth. It intrigued and surprised her at the same time. She was getting half of her answers. Sighing, she picked it up, noticing how thick it was. Did she really work for Shin-Ra _that_long? She knew most of these were records. Opening her folder, she saw the same sheet as all the others. Picture, name, age when she was taken, and origin. Lists of her missions were there too, and stamped with succeeded, or failed. Rifling through the bunch of papers, she came across a bio data sheet she knew the others didn't have on their folders. It was comprised of three pages, all stapled together.

_Subject no.: 005-022-582_

_Donor: Xander C. & Lex P._

Suddenly moving, Ria found herself blindly shuffling around the desk, trying to grab some paper and a pen. She needed to take that down. After several scuffles, she'd managed to grab both and began writing it down. Xander and Lex... Who _are_they? She had the weirdest feeling that these two could be her parents. As she read over the first page, more and more of the words revealed the truth that the subject was a human being. Could she really be a lab baby? Ria felt the bile rising to her throat as she flipped to the second page. This one had two pictures in the corner. One on the top right, one at the bottom left with captions under them.

It said: '_Specimen no. 005-022-582 before cell plantation._' The baby must have been staring straight at the camera. It showed a chubby face with huge crystal blue eyes, small nose, and small lips that appeared moist. The face was pinkish and very fine hairs were at the head. She noted that the hair color was light, almost blonde. The baby was dressed in a little white hospital gown, its hands and feet gloved. Ria curiously compared it to the second picture that said it was after the cell plantation. What she was staring had unnerved her slightly. First of all, the baby's hair was darker—a little hard to distinguish between dark brown and black, its eyes were squinched shut, the mouth slightly open, and the face was pale. Such a change from the original. It didn't look like a normal baby anymore.

Scanning the page some more, it was said that this experiment had failed. The cells changed the baby's appearance—although it wasn't the appearance they were hoping for, but they didn't bond with the baby's cells as the expected result. In other words, cell compatibility failed. According to the research paper, it was concluded that said baby's blood was low in Mako. They had to expose it if they wanted to get results, but such an experiment could be dangerous for an infant. This one was extraordinary since findings have confirmed that the specimen had rejected the introduction of cells into its body resulting in a different physical change.

That was the end of the third page, and Ria stared at the picture occupying the free space at the bottom. The 'specimen' was still staring at the camera with wide amethyst eyes, with more dark hair on its head, pale face, but still chubby cheeked with the same nose and moist mouth. The brunette slowly placed the research paper on the desk, hand holding the pen frozen as she took in the quiet revelation. The baby in this picture had to be her. There was no other explanation as to what this research paper was doing in her folder. It couldn't have been coincidence. This baby had amethyst eyes just like her, and dark brown hair, and a pale face. It was her. Her parents' names were Xander and Lex, but where could they be? She couldn't believe the shocking truth. She was a lab baby and her parents had donated her. Her body had rejected whatever cell they were planning to introduce into her system. She was a failed experiment.

vVvVv

It was like that when the others had found her. She was spaced out, the pen held steadily in her numb fingers.

"Oh Gaia, what's happened to her?" Trevor ran to her side in an instant, shaking her shoulders slightly, hoping to snap her out of her daze. "Ria! What's wrong?" He asked with wide eyes.

Ria blinked a couple of times, and timidly pushed the research paper towards him. The Remnants stood near, regarding her curiously as Kadaj desperately hid his anxiousness. He wanted to make sure she was alright, but he couldn't do it with his brothers around. He sighed heavily.

"What is it?" He asked Trevor, itching to smack the urge of snatching the paper and read it to himself.

"I'm a lab baby," was all that came from Ria's lips.

Yazoo frowned. "A lab baby for what project?"

"I don't know... It just says I'm a lab baby. Even if they didn't mention any names. I'm the specimen they're handling." Ria explained, snapping out of her trance while Trev continued to read.

"Um... Congratulations?" Loz scratched the side of his face.

Kadaj smacked him upside the head. "You're an insensitive little jerk," he scolded his older brother.

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing?" Loz asked innocently causing Ria to actually smile.

"It's just shocking."

"Are you sure about this? Maybe it's been placed in your folder by accident..." Trevor remarked; the papers clutched tightly in his left hand.

Ria rolled her eyes. "If it wasn't mine, would Shin-Ra be stupid enough to place it in my folder as some kind of joke? I thought they were smarter than that. Take a closer look at the baby's picture on the last page," she advised sternly.

Before Trevor had the chance, Kadaj had snatched the junk from him and flipped to the last part. The Remnant tilted his head as he examined the picture.

"Is this how you look like when you were a baby?" He asked, an immature grin spreading across his face as he examined the photograph, bringing it closer to his face. Yazoo and Loz came over and peered at the photo.

"Not my original look," she sighed but her boyfriend wasn't really listening.

"You look fat," Kadaj commented and everyone else could've sweat dropped at the unnecessary comment.

"All babies tend to look fat, Kadaj," Yazoo pointed out, trying to smother a laugh.

"The comment really was unnecessary Psycho. Just wait until I get _my_hands on your baby picture, and we'll see who gets the last laugh," Ria cackled.

"That'd be me..." Kadaj winked at her and handed Trevor the research paper once more.

"We'll investigate in the morning. I know someone who can help us. Unfortunately though, I'll think we'll have to go undercover if we wanna talk to him..." Trevor suggested.


	37. Chapter 36: Undercover

**Chapter 36: Undercover**

**Deliria's POV**

"_Is the specimen ready, doctor?"_

"_Yes, and we'll have no problem in transporting it to the lab. Thank you..."_

"_Hey you! Come here!"_

_Me? I gradually open my eyes and take in my surroundings. I'm in the Shin-Ra manor? What am I doing here? I'm supposed to be in the EBH with Trev and the psychos._

"_Are you deaf? I said come here!" I turn my head to where the voice is coming from. A young man is standing near the lab door, a scowl on his face._

_Slowly, my feet obeyed and began dragging me towards him. As I reach his spot, he taps his foot against the floor, and looks at me with angry annoyance in his eyes._

"_About time you heard me... Do you need a hearing aid for some reason?" He asks harshly, looking me up and down. He stretches out his hand as if to ask for something._

_This is my problem. What does he want from me? I look at him, confused and he rolls his eyes through the glasses perched on his hawk-like nose. He keeps holding out his hand, and I'm sure he's expecting something from me, but I don't know what it is._

"_What?" _

"_The syringe? We have this operation under time limit, young lady," he snaps. What is he talking about?_

_He growled and before I know it, he's reached inside my white coat pocket and pulls it out, wagging it in my face like a prize. Without another word to waste, he turns his back on me and punches the security code to the lab. The metallic doors open with the same whirring sounds just like how it used to. I follow the scientist in and watch as he hands the syringe to a pony-tailed man. Hojo. _

_Nobody seems to care that I'm around so I make my way swiftly to the man's side. Hojo always creeped me out even though I only saw him once or twice before. He specialized on testing SOLDIERs. I sigh and keep my mouth shut as he squirts some strange green liquid into the syringe—mixing it with the earlier contents. I frown when he smiles quite wickedly._

_The scientist who reprimanded me earlier is standing next to me, ignoring me this time. I can see Hojo's going to introduce the serum to a subject that appears to be a baby. I'm curious now, and I walk closer. Screw the scientists if they kick me out. I had seen everything just as Hojo injects the serum into the baby; as the needle penetrates the vulnerable flesh. And a terrible cry echoes through the whole room, while I resist the urge to cover my ears—as tempting as it sounds. I find myself getting closer until I'm right next to the metal table where the baby is; its arms and legs held down by iron clamps. Oh Gaia! That's too much for an infant. Without meaning to, I reach out and the baby's eyes snap open._

_Huge amethyst eyes stare back at me, filled with fear and longing for a mother. I think I'm going to choke. I move my arms only to be met with resistance. I dare take a look and find myself confined to cold metal table where the baby had been. Damn! I'm in my underwear. From the corner of my eye, I see Hojo come closer. He's pushing a tray of something. As it comes closer to the only source of light in the middle of the dark room, I realize its operating equipment. I watch with horror as he dons his surgical gloves and selects a scissor made to cut through the skin. This isn't good._

_I scream. I scream until my voice becomes raspy and ready to die down. Sharp pain shoots across my nerves, a loud slam can be heard above me. I think I hit my head. With trembling lips, I lift my head and scream some more at the sight. My flesh is wide open, warm blood streaking down across my stomach from the long deep cuts, pooling at the tiled floor. Ugh… I can see my own membrane. Another scream reverberates through the walls as I feel rough fingers reach inside me and tear something out. The world becomes a blur as I try my best to focus on Hojo's hands. He's holding something that came from my body—specifically my digestive system. He puts it aside and reaches in again._

_Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh... It hurts. There's nothing I can do but scream...and scream...and scream..._

**Kadaj's POV**

Something's screaming. I think it's right next to me. Ugh... Another pain-filled scream reaches my acute hearing and I think I flinched. Who would be screaming at this time of night? Don't humans understand the prospect of a good night's sleep? Oh...right... I've never had a good night's sleep in my whole life. Hell...

I blink and shift slightly, trying to get my bearings. Another scream erupts and hysterical movement jolts me to my senses. It means I'm awake, idiots! Scowling, I turn to my right and... _damn it_. I reach out a hand to her trembling form. Ria's whimpering, and I can see tears staining her cheeks as another scream pours out from her throat.

Something tells me that whatever nightmare she's having, it's not good.

_Nightmares are never good you dolt! _

_Shut up conscience! _

I return my focus to her, and lightly shake her shoulder. Give me a break! I'm trying to wake her up without startling her.

"Hojo, NO!" Ria sits up suddenly, throwing her pillow to the floor in the process. I sigh and quietly reach for her hand.

Her gaze turns on me all of a sudden. And scrambling with speed I've never seen her use before, she's clinging to me, burying her face on my chest and wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. She sure is shaken up. I mean, she's trembling all over, her t-shirt and shorts soaked with sweat. Her sobs silently echoed a thousand times in my ears. (I'm not exaggerating! I swear!) Unconsciously, my hand makes its way to her back, rubbing it comfortingly as I start to sway her from side to side—like you would to a crying baby. _How do I even know that? _Anyways, my other hand begins threading its fingers through her hair. I kiss her forehead lightly and hold her closer to me protectively. I said it before. I'd protect her... from every threat. I promised I'd keep her safe, and I will.

**Normal POV**

"Shhh... It's okay... It's going to be okay..." Kadaj whispered as Ria continued to sob in his arms.

The nightmare was far too shocking and too scary to be just a dream. It felt so real, and it could've traumatized her too—traumatize her into never sleeping again for fear of its reoccurrence. The very thought had her snuggling at the crook of Kadaj's neck to banish the last threads of it from her mind. He turned his head slightly and nuzzled her temple, brushing back the strands of her dark brown hair.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" He softly spoke, his hot breath sending shivers down her neck.

Ria shook her head slightly. "I'd rather not... if that's okay. I'm... scared of reliving it. Maybe I'd tell you...someday..."

"If it'll make you feel worse, you don't have to," he chided, carefully reclining her against the pillows.

Ria stared into Kadaj's cat's eyes in the gloom as he hovered above her, stroking the side of her face. And the way he was looking at her now, reminded her why she never regretted falling for him in the first place. Earlier memories of Drake leaving her alone after an occasional nightmare caused her mouth to shut. Drake had explained to her that he had no idea how to comfort people who were crying, and yet _he _was human. But looking at Kadaj now, she knew she was far better off with a Remnant of Sephiroth. One would expect Kadaj to be calloused and uncaring, but Ria found that she had made an error in judgment. She judged him with how he used to treat her, not realizing that behind those physical abuses, there was a reason behind each one. Kadaj noticed her sudden silence and he lightly brushed his thumb across her lips.

"Is something wrong? Do you need anything?" He asked, his other hand softly grazed her lower arm.

She shook her head. "I have everything I need right here."

Kadaj smirked at the punch line's cheesiness. He cracked a smile that showed his brilliant white teeth, and as Ria laughed shortly. He settled down, lying next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Kadaj?" Ria whispered, her eyes closed as she delighted in his warmth.

"Hm?"

"Thank you... I'm sorry for waking you up..."

He pressed his lips to her forehead, nudging her hairline playfully. "You're always welcome..."

vVvVv

"Oh. My. Gosh." Kadaj's jaw dropped at the sight of Ria standing before them.

"So what do you think guys? Convincing enough?" Trevor inquired but only got Loz's attention. Yazoo and Kadaj were still gawking.

"I think it's too much..." Ria whined, as she examined herself in the full-body length mirror in their suite.

The group had gone into Edge and checked in a hotel. As Trevor had said, they were going under cover because he knew a certain someone that was able to help Ria with her problem. Unfortunately though, Trevor was hoping to catch this guy in the Mad House—a club—tonight. He was a drunk and was only capable of talking to 'hot' girls. Ria would have to use all her training if she wanted to juice info out of him.

"Don't be a baby Liria... You're seventeen. You pulled this off before when you were twelve, why not now?" Trevor interjected.

"I think you're forgetting the fact that I didn't have cleavage when I was twelve!" Ria snapped, causing her best friend to laugh.

"Get over it! Do you want to know your parents or not?" He asked, raising any eyebrow as he adjusted his disguise.

"Are you even sure this 'Sparks' guy can help us?"

"It's 'Starks'," Trevor pointed out. "And yes he can. You just need good bargaining skills..."

"Whatever..." Ria huffed, annoyed.

"Should we go? I rented a limo so we could pull this off successfully."

"Lead the way..."

vVvVv

Ria was still sulking sandwiched between four guys. Kadaj sat to her left and next to him, sitting by the window, was Loz. Trevor sat to her right with Yazoo next to the window. The group was dressed like people visiting a bar. The Remnants had to wear contact lens and wigs not to get suspected. Trevor wore a business suit. Ria felt like she was a bimbo or something because the outfit didn't help...at all. She was only wearing a long sleeved jacket with the mid riff cut off—two of the buttons clamped together at the bottom, enough to show off some skin that made her disguise effective, a miniskirt with a fashionable belt, and knee high boots with four-inched cigarette heels. What is underneath the jacket you ask? Nothing. Just a black bra which is exactly why Ria was complaining about her outfit. But she trusted her best friend, and if he said it was convincing enough, then she didn't doubt him.

The four stepped out and entered the bar that smelled of alcohol and sweat. The dance floor was packed and Ria shifted her weight from foot to foot, trying her best to ignore Kadaj who was still staring at her.

"Where is he?" she asked Trevor whose eyes scanned the flashy place.

"Not here...yet. But his buddies are," he sighed, kicking a bottle of beer aside with his polished shoe.

Ria looked at the direction Trevor was staring at. Three men in black business suits were sipping cocktails with hookers laughing like hyenas next to them.

"I'll go talk to them. Yazoo, Loz, I suggest, you go somewhere around the dance floor but stay close. Those guys used to be with Shin-Ra but I don't know about their allegiance now." Trevor explained, wiping his sweaty forehead. Truly, the heat was unbearable.

"What about Kadaj and Ria?" Loz asked innocently.

"Yeah... What am I going to do? I didn't exactly dress up like this for nothing," she sulked, tugging her jacket close around her torso. "I feel so exposed..."

"I don't know. Just make it look like you're joining with everybody else. Don't alienate yourself from the crowd," Trevor replied, still observing the men who were clueless.

"Well, I ain't dancin' in this heat," Ria complained, miffed about her role in this.

"Just do something to blend in."

"What do you want me to do?" Ria shouted over the loud music ignoring Kadaj who had gone silent since they entered. Maybe he and Yazoo were playing the 'No Talking' game.

"I don't know. Make out with him or something," Trevor replied nonchalantly, pointing briefly at Kadaj.

This had gotten the Remnants' attention and the brothers stared at Kadaj, shocked—especially Yazoo. Then they all looked at Trevor, suggesting he was crazy. Ria stared at Kadaj, unsure of how to react. Did Trev just say that on purpose?

"He's coming. I'll call for you. Go to your places," he hissed quietly and the four teens obliged.

Yazoo sulked unnoticeably as he and Loz disappeared behind the crowd of drunken dancers. Kadaj wrapped an arm around Ria's waist as she watched Trevor walk up to the men and started conversing. He stroked the exposed skin at her waist, making her jerk her head towards him.

"It's hot in here," she mumbled, wiping away some sweat from her neck.

"Say... Wanna follow through what your friend told you to do?" He whispered in her ear suggestively.

"He's gonna take a while," Ria shrugged, chuckling as Kadaj's lips came down on hers, soft and steady.

vVvVv

Trevor looked up from the conversation to glimpse Ria through the crowd. Starks and his pals had agreed to talk to her after all. Trevor shook his head at the sight he saw. It wasn't surprising to see his best friend making out with the youngest Remnant, but it had to stop. And besides, shattering the moment sounded really appealing right about now. Trevor sighed and walked over and tapped Ria's jacket-clad shoulder. She pulled away from the kiss and looked at Trevor, Kadaj looking slightly annoyed.

"What?" She said exasperatedly.

Trevor gestured with his thumb towards the men sitting at the bar; their curious stares fixed on the trio especially the young man whose arm was still wrapped around Ria's slender waist. Kadaj's eyes flickered slightly through the haze of fake smoke and gave Ria a gentle push towards the direction she was supposed to be heading. They watched as she disappeared from their sight, Trevor still standing beside Kadaj.

"Is she going to be alright?" He asked skeptically.

"She'll be fine. She's done this before, and besides, she's armed. We got nothing to worry about..."

vVvVv

"Where exactly did you meet Trevor?" Ria asked casually, taking a sip of the cocktail this Starks character had bought her.

They were hanging out at the VIP's area where the man suggested they 'talk things out' and where it was quieter though she was a bit disgusted, she'd put up with it.

"Oh... He and I go a long way back... Smart kid. Let's say he's just my business partner when it comes to diggin' dirt on influential people round here," he crooned, fishing a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it up.

"Dirt?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow, resisting the urge to close up her jacket because of the cold. And Starks was staring at her all night. It was making her uncomfortable.

"Ya heard me right honey... We dig up dirt. Mostly me..." he chuckled cruelly. "So what exactly can I help ya with?" He raised an eyebrow, tracing a finger over the back of her hand perched on the counter.

Ria bit her lip seductively, sipping on her drink while keeping her eyes locked with his. She licked off the taste of liquor on her lips, putting her drink down and regretting her recent actions. If this wasn't a sensitive case, she might've launched herself at him and strangled him until he gave her some answers.

"Trev told me you worked for Shin-Ra once..." she started.

"My past eh? I'm tellin' ya darlin'... I hate that part of my life. Worst ever," he shook his head, intertwining his fingers with hers. "What about Shin-Ra?"

"What'd you do for them?" She inquired, crossing her legs.

"Used to record the lab donations they bring in. I'll tell ya... That was the _worst_! I do overtime and they don't gimme a raise. How am I gonna support myself with a few Gils? Damn those scums!" He cussed, finishing his cocktail in one gulp.

"Do you by chance happen to remember some of your clients?" Ria interrogated quietly, drumming her fingers on the table.

"Not all of'em, but a good few who were...memorable enough," he smirked, his moustache twitching. He should really consider shaving. Ria sighed, keeping her temper in check.

"Do you recall any clients by the name of Xander and Lex?"

"'Course... Woman was practically in tears," he smirked cruelly yet again.

"What's their family name? And any idea where they are?" She questioned them softly, grimacing slightly as the man slowly caressed the hand he had been holding.

"No idea where they are doll. But from what I remember, last name started with the letter C. I overheard them talking to the president about staying in Junon for a while, but I ain't that sure. I'm getting old babe, but still efficient," he graced her with a lewd wink.

She inwardly rolled her eyes, and tried her best to stop herself from shooting his brains out. She growled inwardly.

"You know anything else about them?" She forced through gritted teeth.

"Sorry babe. That's all I know... Hope that was enough though," he shrugged, licking his lips and looking at her hungrily.

She could've socked him already if she wasn't maintaining composure. She decided it was best to leave since, what else could she probably get? Maybe they'd try checking Junon some time—though that'd require a lot of money. She sighed.

"I gotta go... I crave a good night's sleep," she shrugged and was about to stand when he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap.

That was it. Show's over. She squirmed uncomfortably against his iron grip and shifted from side to side, trying to get free. He growled in her ear and softly tongued her earlobe. Ria wasn't one to panic and she swiftly delivered a solid blow to his ribs with her right elbow. His arms loosened a bit, and she jammed her steel-heeled boots into his foot causing him to howl and finally release her. She tumbled to the floor and swiftly got back on her feet. She closed up her jacket and ran—ignoring his loud swearing—bolted out the door before he had the chance to stop her.

Ria found herself lost in the dance floor. Where were they? All of a sudden, rough pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and she felt herself being held close to a firm chest. She looked up at the men holding her and realized they were Starks's pals. They didn't give her a chance to fight back. They seized her, placed a gag over her mouth and brought her to a dark corner struggling and kicking. (The inhabitants of the bar were too drunk to even notice the commotion.)

She couldn't move... that was for sure. One of Starks's comrades pinned her to the wall with his knee between her legs. Two others were holding her down and Starks stood near, grinning cruelly and traced a finger across her right cheek. The loud music blaring from the speakers had camouflaged the scene easily. The dim lights were helping a lot too. Now she knew her only way out was to have someone rescue her.

"Gonna behave now babe," he whispered, leaning closer and placing his lips against her neck. She squirmed only to have one of them back-hand her across the face. She growled low in her throat.

And everything began happening so fast. Just as Starks was planting kisses across her neck, and down to her collarbone, he suddenly stopped and a sickening crack reverberated from his body. He fell to the floor, eyes open wide. Somebody broke his neck. Ria blinked at his dead body and the people holding her down had freed her. They were all looking at a figure whose gun was already cocked at the ready.

Yazoo? Where were the others? Ria quickly took the opportunity to kick the back of the guy's knee. He shot forward in surprise and Yazoo speedily lodged a bullet to his head. The others rushed to attack in the cramped space, but none could match a Remnant's proficiency in battle—even though the space was tight and the heat was unforgiving. Yazoo had kicked the guy coming at his left and shot the man who was about to punch his nose. Damn, he's good. Yazoo urgently grabbed her hand and led her out through the back door.

"Thanks..." she murmured, and he smirked slightly.

"Not a problem..."


	38. Chapter 37: Busted

**Chapter 37: Busted**

**Normal POV**

After yesterday's events, Ria had decided to practice her marksmanship today seeing as how the sky was perfectly clear and there was a warm breeze blowing through the forest. Ria cocked her gun and fired at the strange fruits growing at a nearby bush. Her aim missed now and then but she was improving. She fired her last bullet and watched as the fruit spurted juice after being crushed by the flying object. She was focused utterly on her personal training and jumped out of her skin when he spoke:

"You're improving a lot... I'm impressed."

She whirled around and nodded once to acknowledge the middle Remnant's presence. His tone while he was speaking seemed to edge to a low seductive purr that sent shivers wracking her spine, but she hid them well.

"Because of your guidance," she grinned, her back to him.

Yazoo chuckled. "Because you've been such a cooperative student..."

Ria smiled slightly and reloaded her gun and tried her best to ignore Yazoo's intense stare burning onto her back. She finished one of her magazines before a hand reached out and took her gun from her.

"Take a break," he whispered, inching the gun from her hands and plopping into the dirt.

"I just started," Ria sighed, and jerked her hand away pretending to need it to brush her bangs back when Yazoo tried to intertwine his fingers with hers. "Yazoo... Do you really like me?"

"More than you know," he softly touched his lips to her temple and Ria bit her lip. How was she supposed to tell him about...? "So how did your investigation go?"

Ria pulled away, and picked up her gun and holstered it—glad for the change of subject Yazoo had induced himself, and for the chance that she got to distance herself a little bit. She thoughtfully considered his question. Well, to say the least, their investigation was going well. Their plans to further information about her parents were going splendid. And Trevor had suggested she go back to her investigation with regards to her being a lab baby. They had to know what Shin-Ra wanted from her, seeing as she was a failed experiment.

"It's going well," she answered after a while.

"Where're you going?" Yazoo asked innocently, following her as she turned back the way she came.

"Back to base," she replied, him striding beside her.

Yazoo grabbed her wrist and spun her around. "Is something wrong? You're avoiding me all of a sudden."

"N-Nothing. I'm just..." she trailed off, her amethyst eyes wandering so it took her off guard when he pulled her back against his chest.

"What's the rush? It's quiet and we're alone…" Yazoo whispered in her ear, allowing his gloved fingers to wander her face as he spun her around so they were facing each other, noses touching.

"Please… I don't think this is a good idea," she objected, her breath hitching at his closeness.

"Why not?" He purred, nuzzling her nose with his. "You never objected before. In fact…" he mused, "…I sensed your feelings once. Though confused, you liked me."

"I'm… sorry… But things change you know," she replied, pulling back but his arm wrapping around her waist stopped her.

"There isn't someone else, is there?"

Ria hesitated. Really, she wanted to tell him to get things over with. Things could get much worse if she didn't tell him about her and Kadaj. But she was scared of how he would react, seeing as his rival was his younger brother—and their leader. As she stared into his eyes—that were just like Kadaj's—she hesitated some more. How could she hurt him by telling him when he was looking at her so beseechingly? His eyes were full of anticipation and hope; she couldn't even bring herself to burst his bubble.

She shook her head, and took the chance to pull away nonetheless. She couldn't bear this.

"I need to go to the bathroom," she reasoned, scurrying as fast and as convincingly as she could, leaving behind a very confused Remnant.

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

This is so frustrating. It's not just getting into my nerves; it's making my stomach growl. Yeah. I hadn't eaten lunch, and I'm thirsty too. Serves me right for obsessing over my past too much.

I sigh as I control the mouse to click over a folder containing more Agent info Trev had downloaded an hour ago. I'm currently browsing and scanning more about the experiments performed on me—specifically on 'Subject no.: 005-022-582'. According to what I've read earlier, Shin-Ra lost the lab baby because one of the scientists probably escaped me. One experiment performed on me that I've read was my internal connection to Sephiroth. Shin-Ra did some sort of complicated brain bashing stuff that resulted in sharing thoughts with the General. I don't really like to think that I was supposed to be a breeder, and I was meant to share my emotions to somebody like him. But I think that connection failed. Because if it succeeded, then maybe I wouldn't be as badly injured during my previous missions that involved tracking the highest ranked SOLDIER in Shin-Ra history. That info only made me hate Shin-Ra even more. I guess I owe my whole life to that scientist who took me away.

But I'm guessing this whole mental connection thing could be applied now, and I don't know why. Because every time Kadaj kisses me, some of his experiences flash through my mind, and sometimes I hear his voice inside my head. I could feel every emotion he's feeling. It's really weird. Maybe that occurrence could be traced back to an earlier experiment performed on me. Kadaj is a remnant of Sephiroth—so he says—and that's why a mental connection happens, but I don't really have an explanation. I want to tell him about it, but he's nowhere here now.

Or maybe it's just because of Kadaj's closeness to Jenova. He doesn't know Sephiroth at all. There _has _to be a correct explanation. But I have to ask him first to prove my theory correct.

A soft click coming from the door reaches my ears. Ah… He's always on cue. I wait and am not surprised when he pulls up a chair and sits next to me. My face is still glued to the computer monitor.

"How's it going?" Kadaj asks skeptically.

"It's fine," I answer, clicking the close button. "Kadaj… I've been meaning to ask you a question." I say and he snaps his head into attention mode.

"What is it?"

"Wait… Before I do though, could you kiss me?" I suggest and nearly double over laughing at his reaction.

"Excuse me?" He repeats, licking his lips.

"I just… I just have this theory going on inside my head, and I wanna see if it's right," I reply quickly, almost talking too fast.

Kadaj smirks and presses his lips to mine.

'_Exactly what theory is she talking about?' _

That voice… I only lift my hand and cupped his cheek and kiss him harder. A voice just spoke inside my head and there's no mistaking it. That was his voice.

'_I'm talking about this...' _I reply mentally, and he pulls his lips away to stare at me in shock.

"Did you just say something? I mean… Out loud…" Kadaj asks somewhat hesitantly. I shake my head. "But I heard you just now." He protests.

"I was right," I mumble under my breath.

A look of confusion crosses his adorable face. "Care to elaborate?"

"Have you noticed it before? Every time we…" I pause and whisper the last word, "…Kiss? I can read your thoughts and feel how you're feeling," I explain. _Oh gosh. Now he's going to tell me I'm crazy…_

"You noticed it too?" He asks and I can just imagine how I must look to him. Eyes wide in bewilderment as I chew on my bottom lip. "It happens every time. It's rather impossible but it's happening."

"I think I can explain," I murmur through numb lips. "When I was... When I was a lab baby, info from Shin-Ra here says that they performed one experiment on me. It was an experiment involving my brain probably...and Sephiroth's. They tried establishing a mental connection between me and the SOLDIER. I don't know what for though."

"Oh..."

"But what I don't get is that it never happened before even when I was an Agent tracking Sephiroth. What confuses me now is its activity with you..."

"Ria... I think it's probably because of my closeness to..." he gulped. "...Mother. And there's something else..."

He sounds so troubled. I blink. _What's bothering him? _

"What is it Kadaj?"

"I haven't told you before, have I?" He whispers. _Told me what? That he's Sephiroth's remnant? _"I'm Sephiroth's vessel. Do you still remember that strange illness inflicted on Strife and all those kids?" I nod, unable to talk for the time being. "That was a part of the plan for the Reunion. But we decided to leave it aside when we discovered that Shin-Ra is working on Sephiroth's clone's recreation. We decided to wait until it was complete, but after knowing what happened to Mother... well... you know what happened next."

"It still doesn't make sense why my mental connection was established with you and not the SOLDIER himself," I shake my head. I am so confused.

"He... He lives inside me." _What? _And then he rushes to explain. _Do I look _that _shocked? _"I sense him there. And Mother too. I know she's dead, but I can still hear her—faintly. As for Sephiroth, he was always the one telling me what to do—directing my every move. His presence has become surprisingly..." he pauses, thinking for the right word probably, "...dormant for the time being. It... scares me a bit, but it doesn't surprise me at all. I know I'm a puppet. And I never minded that fact, but I do now. That very reason could lead to a separation from you and... I don't want that to happen."

My eyes feel funny like they're brimming with unshed tears or something. _I'm not crying, am I? _I watch as Kadaj drops his gaze onto the floor while I sit overly still on the revolving chair. Kadaj is a living, breathing puppet. I'm in love with a puppet.

"Do Yazoo and Loz... know?" I whisper.

"They do. They always know whenever I have a nightmare, of what it's about... It hasn't happened in a while, and its kind'a suspicious. As stupid as it sounds, I think he's up to something," Kadaj speaks, his eyes turning into liquid green.

"He can't take over your body, can he?"

"He can't," I sigh in relief at the reply. "But it's not impossible..." _Damn..._ "Another thing is... I don't know why Mother wanted you alive for the Reunion. I was about to kill you back then, but she stopped me. I never got an answer when I asked her why..."

His whole explanation leaves me speechless. I think I'm struck mute. I blink a couple of times and catch him staring back at me, his face paler than usual, and he looks tense.

"This only proves I'm every bit of a monster, am I?" He asks, and along the lines of his questioning, I find the courage to talk again.

"That's not true. Whether Sephiroth lives inside you or not, I know I still love you... And that won't change..."

His eyes widen and it's when I rewind my own words inside my head that I realize that I let my innermost thoughts slip. _Curse your overworked brain Deliria. So much for waiting for the right time and the perfect view. _I sigh heavily.

"You love me?"

"Yeah I do," I smile and find myself standing up to transfer seats.

He pulls me onto his lap. I smile happily at him, and forget about the fact that the door's not even locked. Anybody can walk in on us and catch us making out. Kadaj kisses me slowly, letting his soft lips linger on mine. Unlike before, there's nothing at the back of my head except a warm buzz. This moment is so blissful I barely want it to stop. His tongue slides gently into my mouth and I can't help but love him even more.

_BANG! _I flinch at the sound of the door being banged open, and I hurriedly pull away from Kadaj and scramble back to my seat. _It's just Trevor. Please tell me it's just Trevor. _

"Yazoo?" Kadaj's voice rings out.

_We're done for..._


	39. Chapter 38: Plans

**A/N: The final chapter that I shall post until I get at least one review by the end of July. *evil smile***

* * *

**Chapter 38: Plans**

**Normal POV**

Yazoo walked down the halls coming towards the office, replaying the events that had just occurred, over and over in his head. In fact, he just learned a valuable lesson today, and that particular lesson would be to never let Loz get his hands on the stove ever again. Loz was already getting hell from Trevor for what he'd done, and the middle Remnant chose that time to vacate the kitchen. Trevor told him Ria was in the office. Kadaj was gone too, but Yazoo didn't really care. He just wanted to see Ria so they could talk. He knew it and she knew it too. Yazoo had feelings for her but was really unsure of when the right time would come. He _wanted_to tell her, but something was holding him back. Now, though, he didn't want to delay it any longer. He had to talk her and finally tell her how he really felt. He knew he told her he liked her, more than once, he even kissed her several times already. He just needed to push the right buttons before it would be declared official.

Yazoo sighed, and inhaled through his nose as he neared the office's threshold. Upon opening the door, the sight that greeted was _not_a pleasant thing. He simply stood there, in shock, his thoughts in turmoil, but his face was still stoic, betraying nothing of what he was feeling inside. It was like a punch had been landed to his stomach. And the blow had to be delivered by his own brother. He blinked rapidly, eyes flying back and forth between Kadaj—who appeared unfazed, and Ria—whose face closely resembled his feelings. Who knows how long they were making out? Yazoo blinked some more, especially when Kadaj said his name, but he didn't react, other than stay rooted to his spot. Seeing his younger brother with his arms around the girl Yazoo felt smitten with, and the two of them sharing a kiss, it damned near ripped his heart into a million pieces—no exaggeration on Yazoo's part.

The middle Remnant cleared his throat silently. "Was I interrupting something?"

Ria swallowed hard after getting caught. She glanced at the Remnant leader whose intense stare was fixed at the figure in the doorway, not bothering to budge.

"N-No you weren't... Do you need something?" Ria asked rather skeptically.

"I just came to check on you, and maybe try and help with your investigation," Yazoo explained. "Turns out..." he glanced at Kadaj. "...I'm not needed anymore."

Yazoo sighed and turned around, the shock fading, easily being replaced with anger towards Kadaj. He wouldn't do anything about it now, but he definitely would...later on. His _half_-brother wasn't getting away with it.

Ria stood up from her chair, fully intending to stop the middle Remnant from leaving, but a hand had wrapped around her wrist and held her back. She turned to look at Kadaj who merely shook his head. He was right. Yazoo needed time alone to think. She sat back down, and turned to the computer once more.

vVvVv

Yazoo came back to the kitchen, stoic and a dark aura emanating from him. He sat next to Loz on the dining table, and stared at the wood. Loz blinked.

"I thought you were going to help Ria in the office," he cocked his head to the side, curiously regarding Yazoo with false innocence.

"I would only interrupt a perfectly good moment if I ever go there again," Yazoo replied with some sarcasm.

"Huh?"

Being the patient brother he was, Yazoo just smirked and at the same time thought of Kadaj's reaction whenever Loz suddenly acted like this. His little brother would most likely whack Loz on the head.

"I caught them making-out..." he stated simply. No need for detours now, right?

"Making-out?" Loz asked with big anticipating eyes.

"Yes Loz... Don't make me explain what 'making-out' means," Yazoo deadpanned, returning to sulking.

Loz was grinning from ear to ear. Yazoo didn't need to explain. The eldest Remnant was just happy. Kadaj owed him a helluva amount of money—and 500 Gil to be exact.

vVvVv

Dinner was nothing but awkward. Everyone was silent and only the sounds of utensils scraping plates were heard. Ria avoided everyone's eyes mostly and pointedly refused to sit next to Kadaj for fear of Yazoo's reaction. Well, the room was silent, until Trevor spoke:

"I was thinking... Ria, about your parents and their whereabouts. I think we should give it a shot…" he stated, chewing on his food slowly.

"You mean... we're going to Junon?" Ria asked, hope shining in her amethyst eyes.

"Probably... We really can't just wait around here waiting for developments, and besides, Shin-Ra could be searching for us after what Kadaj did to their building," Trevor explained, earning a loud exclamation from the Remnant.

"They were asking for it!" He retorted. "What choice do I have?"

"You could've just left. We got what we needed, after all..." Yazoo interrupted, refusing to meet his brother's eyes, and was scraping some of the ham into the center of his plate before stabbing it with the fork.

"He's right," Trevor pointed out. "Blowing up the Shin-Ra building was overkill..."

"Still... I don't regret it. It crippled them, that's for sure. If I didn't blow up half of the facility, they'd be hot on our tails by now..."

Everyone fell silent and Ria felt unsure of speaking. Kadaj was right. But everyone seemed to be against him and she didn't exactly want them all to look at her strangely.

"He has a point," she found herself saying in his defense, and mentally smacked her forehead for thinking aloud.

Kadaj just shrugged.

"Anyway... So it's settled? We're leaving for Junon?" Trevor asked, looking for confirmation from the group.

Sounds of agreement followed, and then silence once more.

vVvVv

Glancing at the clock, he counted the hours. His spy was due back an hour ago. The fellow had not returned yet, and it was slowly setting him on edge. He needed the information so badly and after what the spy had told him, it set him all the more intrigued. The spy had conveniently reported Agent Nixon's whereabouts. Furthermore, his Intel had told him Nixon was sheltering four other people too—the Remnants and Agent Hollow, to be exact. Well, that was some wild fortune. He had been meaning to take the Agents down one by one, and set his eyes on Trevor Nixon, his latest target. Rufus silently reached for a folder set on his desk. It was one of the Turks' latest reports.

Three consecutive knocks thumped at the door. He looked up...

"Come in..."

The door opened slowly and the young man stepped in, pulling off his hat. Rufus stood straight up upon the newcomer's arrival.

"What did you find out?" He snapped.

"They're planning on going to Junon," the spy snarled.

"And...?"

"I don't know... That's all I heard. That was all they were talking about," he retorted angrily.

Just then, the spy collapsed to the ground, twitching and groaning in pain. The wrist-tracking device attached to him, still giving tremendous sparks of electricity that crackled and echoed in the room after being aggravated by the young man's emotions. Rufus stepped closer to the youth and crouched to be at level with him.

"I send you out on a mission and expected a full blown report on every movement they were making. I intend to dispatch the Agents as soon as possible and take the Remnants alive for experimentation. After what those _kids_ did to my building under construction, I want them removed." Rufus snapped, blue eyes blazing with intense anger. "And you're only proving yourself useless. After we found you years ago..."

"Shut up!" The young man yelled, struggling to sit up, but failing in the attempt. He was still shaking so badly.

"Nearly dead, and reduced to nothing after a mission..." Rufus continued, ignoring the youth's earlier outburst. "We intended to send you to REJECT, but you begged for another chance. And I granted you that..."

"You promised me freedom if I did something very important for you," the youth snapped, glaring up at Rufus as the president of the company stood up.

"I promised you freedom _if_you redeemed yourself. You used to be one of this company's best. Truth be told, I once thought of putting you up at SOLDIER rank," Rufus smirked as the youth's eyes widened in surprise. "But you failed anyway," the blonde crooned.

Walking back to his desk, Rufus casually pressed a button that belonged to the intercom.

"Yes sir?" A voice that belonged to Reno rang out.

"Take our prisoner back to his holding cell. We'll need him tomorrow when we go out for a little chat with my comrades."

A few minutes later, heavily armed Shin-Ra casualties entered the president's office and dragged the youth away; the young man, screaming various obscenities towards the blonde. After taking the spy away, Rufus sat down on his chair and thought about it. Tomorrow would be a good day as any to bring about his plans. After the little group's intrusion to his high-standardized facility and blown half of it up, he had wanted nothing more than revenge—especially on the silver-haired spitfire that was their leader.

First his house, and then the terrible massacre at Healin Lodge, and now his new building. He couldn't just sit here and wait around for further damages. He had to get rid of the pests. The building had just been repaired and he intended to keep it that way—in good shape. He wanted to rebuild his fallen empire, and he couldn't do that without the most powerful creation his scientists had come up with. With some collaboration and a little patience, his new General would be totally under his control. And with Jenova dead and gone—thanks to Cloud—nobody will ever control Sephiroth's mind again—nobody except him.

* * *

**A/N: Okay... Now that's over with, I want to know what you think. Please read & review. If I don't get one by the end of July, I'll post the remaining chapters leading up to the end. I'm working on a new story right now and so far, I've written five chapters for it already. And expect that I'll post it here when I have finished updating this one. Until then, I'll wait.**


	40. Chapter 39: Ambush

**A/N: Thanks for those who reviewed it. You want it? You're getting it... Thank you so much!. :D**

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**Chapter 39: Ambush**

**Normal POV**

As normal as today was, Ria couldn't help feeling on edge. Well, you really can't blame her after what happened yesterday, and Yazoo's aloofness towards her and Kadaj, and along with that terrible feeling that something bad was going to happen, that just wasn't normal. She quietly sipped on her mug of hot chocolate and thought of the plans they'd discussed yesterday. It was confirmed. They were going to Junon. They were going to Junon just to search for her parents and find out more about herself.

It was only 10:30 in the morning anyway, and again, they were facing another day with nothing to do. A few seconds later, Kadaj joined her in the living room and casually plopped down on the couch and proceeded to stare.

"What are _you _looking at?" Ria demanded with a fake scowl.

"You..."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Kadaj replied with a shrug.

A loud explosion from above interrupted the upcoming conversation. Ria found herself glowering up at the ceiling thinking: '_What the hell?_'

"Somehow, I get the feeling we're under attack," Loz interjected, entering the room and scratching his head.

"Oh that's just genius Loz!" Kadaj piped sarcastically. "Did you figure that one by yourself?"

"Hey you two! Quit being sarcastic and let's find Trevor. If we're under attack, we need to get out!" Ria snapped at the Remnants.

Kadaj bolted from the couch just as another loud explosion was heard and the sound that could only come from a helicopter assaulted their ears. Yazoo came out from the kitchen, Velvet Nightmare held tightly in one hand. At that moment, Trevor came tumbling from the stairs right above.

"We're being ambushed!" He yelled. "We can't go up there or Shin-Ra would see us! It's about time they took their revenge!"

"Do we have another way out?" Ria asked, sounding calm despite the chaos that surrounded them.

The underground lair shook but remained unharmed. The upstairs rooms however, were suffering a hell of explosions. The Agents and the Remnants decided not to take that risk.

"We do... The emergency exit at the office."

Everyone bounded in that direction and Kadaj kicked the door open. Ria rushed in and grabbed the folder containing every piece of information about herself. She'd need that. She hurriedly stuffed them in her knapsack that was sitting on a chair. By the time she finished, the guys already managed to open the rusty metal door located near the floor vents that led to a low and narrow tunnel. Loz went in first, then Yazoo, then Ria, followed by Kadaj and Trevor going last.

"Damn it's stuffy in here," Ria complained. The males in the group rolled their eyes.

"What do you think? It's a tunnel Ria," Trevor pointed out loudly, his voice echoing along the narrow walls that closed in on them.

"Where does this lead to?" Kadaj asked out of nowhere.

"I'm not exactly sure, since I've never been down here. All I know and remember from the orientation was that this was our emergency exit," the young man replied.

"Wait! You bothered taking us down here and not knowing where this leads to?" Ria interjected, slightly mortified and pushed back the images that were being conjured up in her brain.

"Pretty much," Trevor replied, his statement punctuated by a nasty rumble that came from above. "Good thing it's not a dirt tunnel though."

"And I thought _you _were the smartest," Kadaj muttered, but seeing as how the space is enclosed, everyone heard him. Trevor growled from behind. "And you accuse _me _of not thinking? What if this leads to a s*** hole or something?"

Ria groaned at the suggestion.

"Kadaj, an underground tunnel can't lead to a s*** hole. It's supposed to take us up," Yazoo explained and finding pleasure as an annoyed scoff came from Kadaj.

"Nobody asked you, Yazoo," he countered, ticked off at the heat surrounding them and the noisy rumbles that came from above. It was dusty too.

"And I find your older brother to be very agreeable," Trevor smirked.

Kadaj growled, and lifted his foot slightly, with just enough force and kicked Trevor's arm lightly, causing the man to jerk and slam his head against the metal ceiling. He hissed at the pain shooting through his nerves.

"Brat," he muttered, earning a loud laugh from Loz.

"What'd he do?" the eldest Remnant's voice rang out.

"He kicked my ass!" Trevor complained, sounding very much like an irritated child for the first time.

"I kicked your arm not your ass!" Came Kadaj's loud protest. "For an older person, I thought you were going be a lot more mature than that," the Remnant chuckled humorlessly.

"Boys! Shut it!" Ria yelped, fed up with their squabbling. It didn't help that she was the only girl in the group.

vVvVv

Against all odds, Yazoo had been right. The tunnel didn't lead to a s*** hole. It led to another spot in the forest where the sounds of the helicopters were still loud but obviously far from their location. Trevor was the last to crawl out of the tunnel and nearly fell backward in surprise when a very loud explosion disturbed the whole forest, causing some birds to fly from their nests perched on tree branches. They all whirled around at the source and knew without a doubt that their previous hiding place had just been destroyed.

From their distance, Ria could see ominous black smoke rising to the sky, causing more pollution than necessary. Bright flames licked the once clear blue sky with the promise of trouble.

"We're in deep s***..." Kadaj mumbled.

"No kidding." Yazoo shot back.

"Uh...where'd you guys hide your motorcycles?" Trevor asked casually.

"A cave?" Kadaj tapped his chin. "Yeah... We locked them up there. I didn't exactly trust your garage enough. And besides, there wasn't room. I'm glad I trusted my gut then..." The Remnant remarked proudly, walking towards the source of gunfire.

"Wait. You're going back?" Loz asked out of nowhere.

Kadaj rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid. Quit patronizing me! I'm just gonna go check it out from an agreeable distance. I bet _you _never thought of that," he smirked at Loz before walking off and leaping to a nearby tree.

Ria watched as he disappeared before their very eyes—he probably teleported to the cause of the ruckus, the rest of them waited for a full ten seconds and Kadaj appeared behind Ria.

"They're everywhere," he spoke, causing the brunette to jump slightly and smack him on the arm.

"What do you mean?" Yazoo asked.

"Rufus just ordered a search in the woods. It's bad enough to know they're looking for us," Kadaj informed.

"Where do we go?" Ria asked from her spot next to Trevor where she ended up scurrying after Kadaj snuck up on her.

"That's the problem..."

"Not a problem to me," Kadaj mumbled under his breath, thinking of his inhumane ability to turn to dark mist whenever he pleased.

However, the group wasn't given the chance to a right decision. A sound that could only come from a gun reverberated and hit a nearby tree trunk—exactly the one Loz was leaning against. The eldest Remnant jumped back in alarm. All heads turned to the source of gunfire, only to see a man—probably as old as Trevor—standing at the far side of them, and his gun held in one hand, ready to fire.

The Remnants didn't have a clue as to who this intruder was, but the Agents did and all but gasped out the young man's name at the same time.

"Drake?" Ria and Trevor exclaimed in unison.

"You know him?" Kadaj asked in disbelief.

Ria was at a loss for words as she stared at the man who all but bullied her into going in a tainted relationship with him. It had been such a surprise to see him at all, considering as they all thought he was dead after he had gone missing.

"You're alive!" Trevor rasped. "How?"

"It's none of your frickin' business Nixon!" He snapped, eyes darting at the Remnants and Ria who stood motionless.

"It's good to see you again sweetie. Miss me?" Drake regarded Ria with a lewd stare that had Kadaj's eyes sparking with annoyance.

"How are you alive?" Ria stammered through dry lips, wary of the sound of Kadaj's sword being drawn from its sheath.

"That's not important. I work for Shin-Ra now..." He mused, tightening his hold on the trigger, still aiming the barrel of the gun towards Trevor.

"Shut up Drake!" Ria yelled, the tensions in the air thickening.

Yazoo had Velvet Nightmare gripped firmly in one hand and he raised it, aiming at the stranger who was still jeering at Ria's state of vulnerability. Whatever their past was, Yazoo could tell it wasn't a good one. Ria moved towards him until she was standing face to face with her ex-boyfriend. He looked at her apathetically and she looked up at him, eyes filled with defiant rage.

She couldn't help it. Every time she looked at him, she couldn't help the memory of the reason why she broke up with him from returning. Every time she saw him, and looked into his eyes, she could remember how it felt seeing him with that floozy. She would remember the girl's pleasure-filled moans as Drake kissed her. Ria growled low in her throat.

"Don't you remember me baby?" He softly whispered, lowering his gun, and dropping it to the dirt at the sight of his former love.

"Don't call me that," she seethed, and slapped him across the face.

Kadaj actually had the sense to snicker quietly upon seeing the guy's reaction.

Drake snarled in response and swiftly knocked Ria to the ground. This had the Remnant leader moving, and the former Agent froze at the feel of the tips of the Souba pointed dangerously at his neck.

"Don't you _dare _hurt her like that," Kadaj snarled, looking up at him; the sound a thousand times more vicious than any of them ever heard. The only people who weren't taken aback at the animalistic snarl were Yazoo and Loz.

"And who the hell are _you_?" Drake snapped. "The silver-haired freak the president mentioned yesterday?" The blonde boldly interrupted.

"As a matter of fact, yes I am." Kadaj grinned manically and knocked Drake to the ground with a swift jab to his stomach.

The young man barely had time to react in surprise. He looked up at Kadaj, still struggling as he held an arm over his abused stomach. The teen was staring at him, blue-green serpentine eyes flashing dangerously under the glare of the sun. He grabbed a hold of his weapon and aimed at the Remnant leader but he wasn't fast enough. Another gloved hand knocked it out of his grasp, and slightly tilting his head to focus on the source, he realized there were two others, closing in on him.

The biggest of the three picked him up by the neck, and the long-haired one simply stuck the muzzle of his gun under the former Agent's jaw.

"Even if you'll kill me, you're still too late..." Drake rasped.

Kadaj gritted his teeth and without hesitation, stabbed his sword through Drake's stomach. The young man fell to the ground while gurgling horribly as blood filled his mouth. The brothers moved away from him slightly as he collapsed on the dirt, a horrible bloody mess. Ria just stared, and Kadaj calmly walked to her side. All barely had time to react when a loud _bang _shot to the sky.

"Uh-oh," Loz mumbled.

"Dammit!" Kadaj cursed. "Let's go... That was a freakin' signal!"

Just as the group was about to run, they realized they had nowhere else to go. Guns cocked at the ready from all sides, only stating the obvious fact that they were totally surrounded.

"How'd they get here so fast?" Trevor whispered.

"Drake was their decoy," Ria mumbled from Kadaj's side.

A gust of wind blew threw the trees and they looked up to find two Shin-Ra helicopters stationed. A mechanical voice that came from the speaker yelled out a command at the army below.

"Kill the Agents, and take the Remnants alive!"

"Over my dead body!" Kadaj screamed, almost forgetting the fact that they were in a cross fire.

Yazoo fired at one of the soldiers and leaped high in the air, landing on a low tree branch. All at once, they started firing. Kadaj pushed Ria to the ground and blocked and dodged the bullets as they came at him. He didn't have to worry though, the army had been ordered not to kill the Remnants. It meant Ria and Trevor were their top priority.

"Go!" He yelled at her.

"What about you?" Ria yelled back, refusing to budge.

"They won't kill me, but they _will _kill you. So get away. Now!"

Ria stood up and made a mad dash for the tree line—as Kadaj distracted their attackers—where she would remain unseen. Trevor had disappeared. But she knew he was safe. She continued running and unfortunate seemed to be the word of the day, for she instantly crashed against the two people she least wanted to see.

Reno stood there; jeering at her as she swiftly drew her gun and fired. The obnoxious redhead blocked the attack with his metal taser and he lunged for her. Dropping her gun in the process, she let out a grunt as Reno immobilized her with an electric shock. She watched as Rude picked up her weapon and cocked it.

"So... Cloud _was _right after all. Should've known we couldn't trust you..." He smirked.

"You would kill me if you had the chance to anyway!" She yelled, hoping her voice would somehow reach somebody's hearing. And those somebody's would be Kadaj, Yazoo, Loz, and Trevor.

"Y'know Ria," Reno clucked his tongue. "I really appreciated having you around as an Agent, but a Turk's main objective is to follow orders from the president."

"Like that's not obvious," she snapped under her breath, feeling behind her back for anything deadly she could chuck at him.

"We were given orders to kill you..." Rude stated simply. "And we can't disregard that..."

Reno shrugged. "I hate to break it to ya. But you're not leaving this forest alive yo."

All their talking was just what she needed. If Yazoo wasn't being a jerk, she'd thank him for teaching her all that accurate angles bulls***. She made use of it now. Grabbing a sharp slab of rock, she threw it at Reno and it hit him in the cheek, sending him stumbling back at the blow, and drawing some blood. Rude fired and she rolled off to the side to avoid the bullet. Getting to her feet faster than she imagined—though her body still hurt from the electrical shock—she aimed a kick for Rude's knee. He wasn't fast enough and he toppled to the ground and fired another bullet that hit the Agent on her leg.

Hissing in pain, she fell to the ground and could only watch as Reno approached her with a sly grin on his face. She tried to get up, but another bullet hit her square on the shoulder and she cried out in pain. The gun clicked again and she couldn't think anymore. All she could feel was the blood seeping through her clothes. And it hurt so much, she could barely move. She cried out again as another sharp pain hit her hand and nearly gasped when a familiar voice rang inside her head—a memory drifting to the surface.

"_You can sleep, Ria. You're safe. I'll protect you..."_


	41. Chapter 40: Escape

**A/N: One of my favorite dismal moments. :D Character deaths. This is my favorite chapter out of the bunch, because it's the one that has brotherly emotion displayed all over it.**

* * *

**Chapter 40: Escape**

**Kadaj's POV**

Block, dodge, jump, block. Block, dodge, jump, block. Ria's screaming. Block, dodge, jump, block. _S***! _I block another bullet coming my way and disappear. Well, it's better to leave those idiots confused and all. I have to find her. Another scream reaches me. _Damn! Where could she be? C'mon Ria... Keep screaming._ There came another scream that is quickly silenced and my blood runs cold. She'd better be alive when I find her, or I'll torture her attacker so bad they won't recognize his face at his funeral. _Damn Shin-Ra! _Her scream sounded very near. She couldn't have gotten that far. A growl erupts from my throat at the sound of two voices I recognize. Turks.

Now's the time to thank the ability to shift to black mist. I get close and see Reno standing over her, stroking her cheek with mock sympathy. Rude has his foot on top of her stomach. Clenching my airy fist, I make my way over and grin inwardly when they cringe.

_Something negative is in the air~. And temperatures are dropping. Heh... _

_Quit wasting time Kadaj! _

_Shut up conscience. Let me have some fun!_

"It's cold, yo!" the redhead whines incessantly.

"You should've thought twice before touching her," I growl lowly, turning back to human form.

They turn toward me, surprised, and shocked out of their wits. Why do Turks always have to be dumb? And _they_ show-off _way_ more than _I _do. Sighing heavily, I dodge the Turk's well-aimed fist. Was that supposed to be for my head? Didn't notice. Smirking, I land a swift jab that earns a sickening crack. _I broke his jaw! Yey! _The redhead stumbles back, glaring at me. I glare back, and I can see that black man moving towards me from my peripheral vision. I sigh. Extending my fist outward with just enough force, it discreetly hits his nose, and I knock him senseless with Souba's hilt.

The redhead begins to run, but what do I care? _Oh Gaia... No... _Ria's lying on the dirt, bloody in various places of her body. Hope none of her internal organs are punctured though. Running a quick check, I know she's safe enough. Her eyelids flutter slowly and they open and I'm staring into her beautiful amethyst eyes.

"K-Kadaj?" Hearing her stammer my name like that sends a shiver up my spine.

Cautiously, I place my left arm under her shoulder and I brush the strands of hair from her face with my other hand.

"It's alright... You're safe," I whisper and she answers me with a grunt. "Let's get you to safety..."

_Where are Yazoo and Loz? And Trevor?_

**Normal POV**

In contradiction to Kadaj's wishes though, Ria insisted on standing up. And being the stubborn lady she was, the Remnant couldn't do anything. But he helped her up anyway. She stood quite awkwardly, leaning most of her weight on her right leg. She limped slightly and cupped a hand over her shoulder where she'd been shot.

"Are you sure about this? You don't look too good," Kadaj remarked, still wary of letting her walk by herself.

"I've done this before and I went through worse," she pointed out, almost forgetting that they were targets for a manhunt.

"Let me help," Kadaj stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.

He focused on her intently, keeping his hand on her shoulder, just so a part of their body was touching. Ria shook her head, and noticed that something was off... Nothing hurt anymore. Biting her lip and preparing for the worst, she tried moving her injured leg and almost jumped for joy upon realizing that the pain was gone.

"How did you...?" She trailed off and he merely graced with her a slight smile.

"I took away your pain... But the wound's still there and we'll have to clean it later once we get to a safe place." He explained, almost whispered.

"Thanks..." She smiled affectionately at him, and they left the clearing, Kadaj leading the way and watching each other backs.

"Where are the others?" She whispered anxiously, and Kadaj paused for a while before speaking.

"I'm not sure. We'll call them later-"

The short statement had been cut off at the sound of gunfire. Kadaj froze and so did Ria. She pulled out her gun and reloaded it as the male snuck around some bush and they cautiously made their way over to where the sound was issuing forth.

And what Ria saw nearly stole her breath away as she forgot about the elements of surprise and simply rushed towards the victim being held captive. She heard Kadaj shouting her name but she paid him no heed. If her best friend was in trouble, she would come to rescue him, no matter what the price. In her haste, she reached the clearing just as the soldier fired and before her very eyes, she witnessed Trevor's untimely death. She almost didn't hear herself scream: "NO!"

At the sound of her voice, the man holding Trevor let go of him and he thumped to the dirt. The man raised his gun to shoot her, but in her adrenaline rushed state and defiant rage, she shot both Shin-Ra personnel down in a blur of movement. She rushed to her best friend's side, tears already streaming down her cheeks as she lifted him off the ground and onto her lap.

"Trev..." She sobbed, keeping her arm around his broad shoulder.

Blood pooled inside his mouth and trickled from the corner of his lips. His eyes focused on her but he didn't say anything. His arms hung limply at his sides, trying and failing to lift them. No... This couldn't be happening. Of all the people she had to lose. Why did it have to be her best friend? Reunited with him for such a short time and now he had to leave. More tears streamed down her cheeks and landing onto his face as he looked into her eyes—saying everything he needed to tell her through them.

He wanted her to go on. He wanted her to finish what she started. He'd helped her enough, and that was why it was his time to go. She had Kadaj and his brothers and his eyes reassured her that Kadaj would keep her safe. He let her know he loved her. She was his best friend, his little sister, and she was growing up now—the helpless child he had met in the orphanage had disappeared and was replaced by a courageous young woman. She often depended on him, but he'd seen and realized how strong she was. When they'd been separated after Meteor, she went on. And he trusted her enough.

Ria stared into his dark blue eyes, and sobbed silently as he closed them, never to open them again. She only held his dead body closer, telling herself over and over that this had to be a dream.

Kadaj stood a few meters away and couldn't stop himself from sighing at the sight of Ria sobbing in the dirt, clutching her friend's dead body extremely close to her. Cautiously, he took deliberate steps towards her and kneeled down on the dirt right next to her. Placing a gentle arm around her waist, he held her close, and kissed her temple. The least he could do was comfort her, and after witnessing the events that just took place, he only begun to realize the bond shared between these two, and he couldn't blame her for feeling a huge loss.

vVvVv

That night, the group camped inside the cave where the Remnants hid their motorcycles. Yazoo went out to gather firewood, and Kadaj sent Loz out on a little errand to look for recyclable materials in the destroyed hideout. The youngest stayed behind for a good reason.

Ria sat sideways on Kadaj's motorcycle as the Remnant fussed about her leg. He disinfected the wound and slowly took the bullets out—the brunette wincing in pain as he did so—and threw them somewhere in the cave. He really didn't care as long as she was okay. After that was done, he cast Cure over the wound where it closed up.

She still hadn't spoken a word since the life-changing events that happened to her earlier. He had stayed with her until Trevor's body began to fade and she was left with nothing but empty air in her arms. She cried then, and didn't speak even now as he treated her injuries. He brushed his thumb lightly across the skin at her shoulder where the bullet wound had been. The one in her leg was doing fine, but this particular spot seemed to have a problem, and he didn't know why. Pursing his lips, he lightly traced the scar, and ignored her flustered cheeks as she stared at him.

He looked up at her and smiled slightly, placing a finger under her chin to tilt her head slightly. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips that lasted for two seconds and he pulled away. He began tidying up the mess, and putting the disinfectant back into his motorbike's trunk.

Ria dismounted from his bike and sat on a black boulder. Kadaj sighed as she stared at the ground and he sat on the cold solid floor.

"Will you be okay?" He whispered softly.

She shook her head slightly. "I don't...I don't know Kadaj. He was my best friend, my brother. He and Cloud and Tifa were practically the only family I've known, and ever since that incident with Cloud... He was the one I had left," she whispered, her voice portraying how broken she was now.

Kadaj swallowed hard, feeling guilt overtake him. He ruined her life. "I-I'm sorry... A-About everything..."

"It wasn't your fault..." she managed a brave smile that quickly faded. "How did you make the pain go away?" She asked, changing the subject abruptly.

Kadaj didn't bother her about it either. "It's one of my abilities," he explained in a hushed voice.

"Like how you teleport and turn to black mist and stuff?" She asked curiously through glassy eyes.

"Yeah... I can take away pain, and re-grant it as well," he sighed.

"What other abilities have you been keeping from me?" She joked, lightening up the mood a little even though she was mourning inside.

"You're bound to know the others soon enough," he smirked and looked at her before the mood sobered again. "Don't hide what you're feeling okay?"

'_I don't want you to worry too much_', Ria thought but something entirely different came out of her mouth. "I'll try..." she mumbled.

Kadaj stood up and pulled her into an embrace; desperately wanting to take away her emotional pain, but knew he couldn't. Seeing her like this only increased his guilt. Maybe he should've just left her alone that day when he found her at Shin-Ra's dilapidated building. '_I am the _worst _person she's ever met..._' he told himself, as he held the girl to his chest. '_I swear I'll make it up to you... Forgive me_,' he softly whispered in his head, not really wanting to tell her since he wasn't quite ready yet.

vVvVv

Hours later, the group was sitting around a campfire that had been made. Loz was polishing his weapon, and taking small bites off the biscuit Ria had given to him when he complained he was hungry. Yazoo was simply staring at the fire and the burning charcoal, but was paying attention to what Ria and Kadaj were doing. The youngest Remnant was whispering something into Ria's ear, while the brunette simply sat there, obviously sad and dejected.

Yazoo longed to eavesdrop on the one-sided conversation but how was he supposed to do that when he couldn't even hear what Kadaj was saying? Of course... Kadaj knew his brothers' acute hearing, and usually resolved to say extremely inaudible things. In Yazoo's case, he could hear faint murmurs from Kadaj, but couldn't really make out the words, but for a normal human being, they wouldn't hear a thing. It would more or less look like the Remnant leader was just sticking his lips close to the Agent's ear. And boy was it _frustrating_!

It was at this moment that Loz broke the silence. "I'm going to bed." He got up and stretched and was already heading to his spot on the cave where his sleeping bag was laid out.

"Me too... I'm tired," Ria softly whispered, and Kadaj nodded once, standing up with her and leading her to his sleeping bag.

Once again, Yazoo was left alone, tending the fire. They were all tired, and a good night's sleep was what he really needed. He turned around and checked on Kadaj and Ria. Loz, as expected, was already fast asleep. Kadaj was lying next to the brunette, softly stroking her hair as she lay with her back to him. Yazoo sighed. As mad as he was at Kadaj, he couldn't bring himself to _hate_ his little brother. He couldn't blame him either. Ria fell in love with Kadaj, and Yazoo knew he couldn't do anything to change it, but _he _loved _her_. He couldn't exactly force her to love him, could he? He wanted her to be happy, and if she was happy with his little brother, then he had to accept them, as painful as it was for him.

Slowly, Yazoo watched as the fire died out, shrouding the cave in darkness. The embers glowed faintly and Yazoo watched as they died down too, before standing up and making his way over to his sleeping bag that was purposefully stationed next to Kadaj's.

Kadaj closed his eyes at the stillness of the night. He opened them again and caught Yazoo laying himself down to rest. And as usual, he would be the one ending up sleepless. He didn't know why his mind was restless either. It was always working, even if he was asleep. Kadaj sighed inaudibly and tightened his hold on Ria after feeling her shiver next to him. His gaze shifted to Yazoo who had rolled over and was facing him now. The youngest noticed his older brother staring at the girl sleeping in his arms.

"You love her, don't you?" Came his brother's soft and silky voice.

Kadaj shifted his gaze, his eyes locking with the same orbs that glowed in the darkness; eyes that belonged to Yazoo. "I do," he whispered.

"Have you told her?" Yazoo inquired, letting his older brother instinct overtake him.

Kadaj shook his head slightly. "No... Not yet..."

Yazoo didn't comment. He just stared at the sleeping figure nestled in Kadaj's arms. She was breathing softly, sighing comfortably in her sleep too. The Remnant leader was staring at Yazoo, watching him admire Ria's face. From the start, Kadaj knew it too—that Yazoo had feelings for Ria. He caught him making out with her once in the Forgotten City. It was unfair on his brother's part, seeing as he had her first, but you really couldn't blame Kadaj either. The youngest came to a liking to her, and she simply returned his feelings. Yazoo's were unrequited however, and it simply had to hurt.

"Do you...love her too?" Kadaj asked quietly.

"Yeah... She just... doesn't love me back," Yazoo stated calmly and Kadaj fell silent. "She's so beautiful when she sleeps..." the middle Remnant whispered.

Kadaj sighed. "I agree..."

"You know, I've liked her since you brought her to our base. She's... tough and kind'a reckless. Very clever too. You remember how she figured out that password?" Yazoo asked.

"How could I forget? She never ceased to amaze me whenever she mouthed off at me—even went as far as to mock my leadership," Kadaj smirked. "She's a handful..."

"What do you like about her?" Yazoo inquired, already knowing where this conversation was headed.

Kadaj thought about his answer for a while before speaking. "I like her attitude. She's tough, but she's vulnerable," he paused. "I love it when she smiles, especially if the reason's me. She's a good listener, and values the ones she holds close..."

Yazoo didn't answer then, but spoke after a long moment of silence.

"I don't want to lie to you Kadaj. I'll admit when I first found out that you two were in a relationship, I got mad at you. But now I realized that it's really not your fault. It's nobody's fault. I only want her happiness, and to see that she's smiling, it warms my heart enough..." Yazoo explained.

Kadaj looked genuinely shocked since he didn't know much about romance and only experiencing it firsthand now, but still had little clue to what it should be all about.

"But I thought you loved her. You want to be with her, and that means doing everything you can to get her... Isn't that what it's all about?" Kadaj retorts quietly.

At the statement, Yazoo's expression softened. "I'm sorry brother, but... you're more naive than I thought..."

"Enlighten me?" Kadaj mumbled, stroking Ria's hair again.

"It doesn't work that way. I love her, yes, but I want her to be happy. Take this for example. I know you're the reason she smiles, and I want to be that way for her. So I simply rob her happiness, and bind her to me where she would be unhappy. How would you feel? If that were to happen, I know I'd feel bad. She doesn't... love me, and no amount of forcing her to do so would change that. She would still want you. She'd end up hating me." Yazoo explained but Kadaj still looked confused.

"How does that make it any different?"

"What I just illustrated to you isn't love. It's obsession. I'm telling you this now. She's happy being with you, and I won't take that away from her. I love her, and I want what's best for her. If being with you makes her smile..." Yazoo shook his head. "There's nothing I can do."

"It would've been just easier if we tore her in half," Kadaj smirked, contemplating, but still joking.

"That's the point. I'm _not_ going to tear her in half. Just goes to show I'm willing to give up my selfish happiness for hers. It hurts... and it's hard... but that's how it works." Yazoo whispered, reaching out a hand to stroke Ria's cheek.

At Yazoo's touch, Ria mumbled something intelligible and rolled over so she was facing Kadaj. She snuggled into his chest and sighed once more.

"I'm sorry Yazoo," Kadaj whispered, his brother's lecture still playing in his head. "But thank you... for telling me that. I appreciate it... really. And I'm sure if she's awake, she would've glomped you by now." The Remnant leader smirked.

"She's the reason we're all changing..."

"Yeah... Before, I wouldn't even give a damn if I hurt anyone or not."

"And I wouldn't have told you what I just said." Yazoo pointed out. "Just give her the love she deserves... Be careful with her. Don't hurt her, alright?"

"I won't... And I'll take care of her." Kadaj muttered, letting his lips brush the crown of her head.

"Good. Otherwise, Trevor would regret leaving her to us, especially you. And I would regret telling you how I just felt." Yazoo smiled sadly. "Good night Kadaj," Yazoo sighed. "Sweet dreams my love," he softly whispered in Ria's direction.

"Night Yazoo..."

But even after his older brother had fallen asleep, Kadaj still couldn't bring himself to close his eyes and drift off. Huge trust and responsibility had just been laid on his shoulders, and he was supposed to take it as a burden. But strangely, he found himself feeling honored. He felt it before of course, when Mother gave him that, but there was something different about it now. And that was saying something.


	42. Chapter 41: Searching

**Chapter 41: Searching**

**Normal POV**

All were tired, all were exhausted, and having to rest in their assigned cabin on a ship heading for Junon, was already a little bit of heaven. Ria sighed as she hugged a pillow on her bed. There were two bunk beds, and Kadaj had claimed the top bunk which left her at the bottom. They were due to embark at Junon port in an hour and a half. In normal circumstances, time would seem to fly, but if you're out at sea, time is as slow as it can be. The boat had been skimming through the waves for thirty minutes now. Ria knew because she was counting and was a bit surprised that she hadn't fallen asleep yet.

"Loz?" Came Kadaj's voice.

"Hm?" Came the reply that was muffled by pillows.

"What happened to our bikes?"

"I threatened the management to take our bikes in; free of charge." Loz explained gleefully, expecting an approval, but the only thing the eldest got was a pillow to the face.

"You idiot! That could've drawn too much attention!" Kadaj snapped.

"We were in secrecy," Loz explained, already on the verge of crying again.

"There's no need for an argument, you know?" Yazoo pointed out, combing his hair with his fingers. "Loz maybe dumb, but not that much that he'd risk our lives and our safety."

Yazoo ignored Loz's hurt expression at his younger brother's honest insult. Kadaj sighed.

"You're right... Let's just sleep... It'll still be long before we even reach Junon," the Remnant leader curled up slightly in his bed.

"Aren't you going to apologize?" Loz retorted.

"No way! I did nothing wrong!" Kadaj yelled, eyes closed and knew Loz was grumbling as the eldest Remnant hit his own head on the pillow.

vVvVv

"Where do we start?" Yazoo inquired from atop his motorbike, outside of the inn they checked in.

"We ask around? Disguises aren't really needed since nobody even knows you," Ria pointed out, looking at Kadaj who had his face scrunched up adorably in confusion as the Remnant examined the map.

"I say we split into pairs and Yazoo and Loz will take east and south. We'll go west and north." Kadaj suggested.

"How are we going to find your parents anyway?" Loz inquired curiously.

"Just ask anyone if they know a person with the name of Xander C. It would've helped more if Starks had the knowledge of my parents' location in Junon." Ria grumbled, getting on Kadaj's bike.

"Meet back here by nightfall..."

With that said, Kadaj revved up his engine and headed West. The first place best to search for a citizen was the town's city hall. It was where most likely records were kept and they just might have an idea.

vVvVv

Kadaj and Ria entered the city hall quietly. People in business uniforms were scuttling about, going on with their daily business even though the time on the clock screamed break time. Without warranting a second thought, Ria rushed to the reception desk and waited for the lady behind it to finish her conversation on the phone. Once she was done, she turned to the brunette waiting by the desk. Kadaj was sitting on one of the lounge chairs, flipping through some random magazine.

"Can I help you miss?" She droned sourly.

"Um... Do you by any chance know the person in charge of citizen records? I'm looking for someone in the city and don't know where to start..." Ria explained hopefully.

"Do I look like a cop to you?" She glanced up at Ria and popped a gum into her mouth and started chewing.

"Isn't this the reception desk?" Ria asked kindly, holding back her sharp tongue from flat out mouthing off at the unhelpful broad behind the desk.

"What do you think kid?" The woman replied flatly.

"I asked nicely. You could've at least answered me," Ria growled and summoned Kadaj's presence at the sound of her distressed voice.

"Do you have a problem with meeting strangers?" He asked, the woman, keeping a hand on Ria's shoulder.

"It's my job kid. I'm used to it." The receptionist looked up and gasped at the sight of silver hair and blue-green serpentine eyes and cringed slightly under the intimidating aura emanating from the teen.

"She asked you politely, and aren't you going to answer her? Whether you have a solution or not. Otherwise, I'm telling your boss." Kadaj drawled arrogantly, drumming his fingers on the desk.

"I don't coordinate with rude teenagers," she snapped, turning to the computer monitor and typing something.

Kadaj gave her the once-over, and glared pointedly. "And I don't have much patience for old geezers who mouth off at me," the Remnant shot back, his tone making it clear that he wasn't at all amused at the woman's antiques.

"Who do you think you are? And have your parents taught you about respect?" The woman stabbed a well manicured finger at his face.

"And don't you know the basic rules of your overrated job?" Kadaj glowered some more, a low growl resounding at the back of his throat. "Just answer our question and we're not going to bother you again!"

The Remnant said it lowly that it sent chills vibrating up the woman's spine. She stared at him some more, confused and angry because it really was her job and she was just in a bad mood today. She sighed heavily and fixed her eyes on Ria.

"It's the office located in the west wing. Ask for Mr. Briars."

"Thanks..." Ria nodded once and smiled slightly before dragging Kadaj to their apparent destination.

vVvVv

Apparently, moody receptionists come first before you meet snotty secretaries. Upon entering the office, the security guard had ushered the teens to the plastic seats attached to the walls. After two hours of waiting for their turn, they finally got to state their purpose before being ambushed with a barrage of questions.

"We need to see Mr. Briars..." Ria stated, looking at the pretty girl behind the desk.

"Do you have an appointment?" The girl asked, not looking up from her work of signing papers.

Ria looked at Kadaj who just shrugged. "Um... We don't, but-"

"Sorry. No appointment, no meeting," the secretary shrugged.

"What is this? The dentist?" Ria grumbled under her breath. "It's an emergency..." She said clearly this time.

"I'm sorry Miss. There's nothing I can do..." The girl replied in a nasal tone that made Ria seethe.

Kadaj took control of the situation before it got worse. "How much do they pay you?"

"Five hundred gil a month..." She replied nonchalantly.

"Why so low?" The Remnant inquired casually.

At the question, the girl looked up at him and glowered. "It's a government office! What do you expect?"

"How about I double the amount of your salary and you let us through?" Kadaj suggested; his charming demeanor present and an alluring purr to his voice.

The girl blinked in shock. Ria was impressed. Kadaj's pretty face _does _come of use. She giggled at the thought.

The Remnant tilted his head slightly. "What do you say? I give you a thousand Gil plus your salary coming this month. That's a huge amount of money already," he mused, catching the excited glimmer in the girl's eyes.

"Deal..." she whispered.

vVvVv

He sighed, and plopped back down onto his seat having just finished talking to a couple of students on a field trip. It was so exhausting. There was a loud knock on the door, and the man sighed heavily. Of course they wouldn't leave him alone. As long as he was working here and under that manipulative monster's control, he couldn't get out of here.

"Come in..." he called. The door opened a crack and the secretary's head emerged through it.

"Mr. Briars, there's someone to see you. It's an emergency."

At the man's nod, the door opened wider, letting the strangers inside. The girl nodded and gently closed the door on her way out, leaving the Agent and the Remnant staring at the middle-aged man sitting behind the office desk.

"Please, have a seat," Briars gestured towards the empty chairs next to his desk. "Another missing person report I suppose," he raised an eyebrow, but never taking his eyes off the silver-haired young man, whose gaze wandered inside the room.

"Good day sir. I was wondering if you could help me with a problem," Ria continued upon receiving a nod from Briars. "I'm searching for a man by the name of Xander..."

Briars chuckled coldly. "Many people come by the name of Xander. Do you know the family name?"

Ria hesitated. How stupid of her. "I don't have an idea, but I _do _know that it starts with the letter C."

"I see, well... I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, though, I'd like you to fill in this form for me, you and your companion," the man slid the forms towards the visitors. "That will serve as an information sheet. When I find the person you're searching for, at least I'll be able to contact you immediately."

Ria elbowed Kadaj and slid a form towards him. The room fell silent as the teens filled out the information needed. Briars couldn't help staring at the silver-haired stranger. He looked vaguely familiar, and his boss had sent him information to keep an eye out for any individual with silver hair. His reason for giving them the forms was for contact of course and for Intel information as well. He had to tell his boss about this, and he would finally get the money he needed to bust out of this hell hole he had come to know as his work place.

Ria and Kadaj had finished filling out the forms and handed them to the man. Briars tucked them away in a folder, since it was in his best interest to review the contents when these two were absent. The teens stood and after saying their thanks, disappeared out the door. Briars waited for twenty minutes, making sure that they were nowhere near his office.

With an excited expression, he hurriedly opened the folder and retrieved the information sheets they had filled out a while ago. He skimmed over the page, relishing in the information that was his key to get out of this place.

_Last Name: Hollow_

_First Name: Deliria_

_Middle Name: Jorgen_

_Current Address: Blk 22 Diversion 21 Inn, Courtier St._

_Permanent Address: _

So the girl is a nomad. His lips twisted at this possibility, and continued his scanning.

_Age: 17 yrs. old_

_Birth date: _

_Birth place: Midgar_

_Civil Status: In a relationship_

_Eye color: Bluish purple_

_Hair color: Brown_

_Height: 5'4_

_Weight: 110 lbs._

_Father's Name:_

_Mother's Maiden Name:_

_Contact no.: 556-52-31_

'_Interesting, the girl's an orphan...but how could she possible have a last name and middle name if that were so..._' Briars thought to himself. Maybe she was lying, since it looked like she was withholding information. This 'Deliria' character was certainly interesting. Moving on, he placed her form back on the table and read Kadaj's.

_Last Name: Shay_

_First Name: Jerome_

_Middle Name: Dale_

_Current Address: Blk 22 Diversion 21 Inn, Courtier St._

_Permanent Address: _

_Age: 17 yrs. old_

_Birth date: _

_Birth place: Banora_

_Civil Status: In a relationship_

_Eye color: Green_

_Hair color: Black_

_Height: 5'9_

_Weight: 115 lbs._

_Father's Name:_

_Mother's Maiden Name:_

_Contact no.: _

Interesting... 'Jerome' certainly had a way with lying. This one, he was absolutely sure, was withdrawing so much information. Probably an ex-convict, or another one of his boss's experiments that had gone wrong. The silver-haired teen had an uncanny resemblance to the SOLDIER who almost obliterated the world. Anyway, the man had an ill temper and he swiftly reached for his phone, punched in the numbers, and waited impatiently for the person in the other line to pick up.

"Good day sir. I think I have the information you might need after all," Briars beamed cruelly as he stared at the information sheets spread out on his table.

vVvVv

"Do you trust that guy?" Kadaj asked Ria as he mounted his bike and helped her get on.

"Sort of," she replied after a while. Briars was kind of strange.

"Well I don't!" Kadaj snapped irritably, revving up the engine and taking off down the street. "He kept staring at me..."

"Maybe he was just fascinated..." Ria mused, leaning her head against the back of Kadaj's shoulder. "...Or frightened."

Kadaj shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road as he maneuvered his bike around some cars. "Have you even _seen_ how he looked at me? It was so suspicious. Not that that idea's a surprise considering how I look like, but he looked at me like... like he recognizes me."

"Did you write down everything on the form?" She inquired, and lightly pecked the back of Kadaj's neck.

The Remnant smirked knowingly. "Bunch of lies, and unanswered questions. No chance in hell am I letting him know my name. I even lied about the hair color. What about you?" He asked, narrowly missing a collision with a car's chassis.

Ria winced at the near accident. "Not everything, but most of the stuff were true. I trust him enough to locate 'Xander' and after seeing that man, we're leaving this place..."

vVvVv

"Did you find anything?" Kadaj asked Yazoo and Loz once his brother's entered the room they were staying in.

"Not enough to put up a few leads. It would've been easier if we knew the family name..." Yazoo pointed out, plopping down on the couch in front of the TV.

"How did it go with you two?" Loz inquired, blinking sheepishly.

"We stopped by the city hall and asked for help from Mr. Briars who's in charge of the citizen files. I just wish he'll contact me soon enough about that guy's whereabouts," Ria muttered as she stood up from the small dining table and walked towards the bed and lay down.

"But we _did _find something useful..." Yazoo piped in.

"We did?" Loz asked stupidly, and the long-haired Remnant rolled his eyes.

"I forgot to tell you... When I was wandering around block 28, I decided to give it a shot and asked a guy working in the pharmacy if he knew anyone by the name of Xander." Yazoo explained.

Ria sat up, alert and curious as to where Yazoo's story led. Kadaj motioned for his brother to continue.

"He told me if I was asking about the guy who used to own a corporate business in the city. When I asked what business, he told me it was an investment company. Crystalline Enterprises..." Yazoo finished.

"Weird name..." Kadaj commented, his face contemplating.

"Let's check it out tomorrow," Ria interjected. "Do you have an address?" She asked and frowned when the middle Remnant shook his head.

"Looks like we're in for another long day," Loz sighed and switched the TV on as Kadaj reclined against the couch.

* * *

**A/N: There shall be no excuses. That fake name I made up for Kadaj is totally lame. I couldn't think of anything else and am I supposed to rack my brain for all that? Well, it's not really important to me seeing as I've introduced another OC into this story and he will be of much use to Rufus. And I think it's getting pretty obvious where this is going. Shin-Ra is the official antagonist in my story next to Sephiroth, and I'm really sorry if I made this company kind of b*tchy. Peace.**


	43. Chapter 42: Dessert

**Chapter 42: Dessert**

**Normal POV**

Rufus sighed as he looked over the contents of the documents his little pet in Junon had sent to him by fax. So the Remnants and his Agent had gone through their plan of going to Junon, though Gaia only knows why. He stared speculatively at Deliria's information sheet. It made sense that she didn't know who her parents were. They picked her up at an orphanage. And the local government had given her a name. But what confused the Shin-Ra Company president was the other information sheet sent to him. He didn't know anyone by the name of Jerome. Maybe Briars had sent him the wrong form.

Reaching for the phone, he dialed the numbers and waited for his Intel to pick up.

"Yes sir?" Came Briars' voice on the other line.

"I think you just sent me the wrong document," Rufus spoke smoothly.

"That is impossible sir. I've placed both Jerome's and Deliria's documents in separate folders to avoid confusion." Briars explained, his voice wavering.

Rufus raised an eyebrow. "That so? Did Jerome and Deliria arrive together in your office?"

"Yes... Jerome was her companion..."

The statement from Briars earned a frown as Rufus thought hard. Deliria had no other companions on her way to Junon except the Remnants. So who was this Jerome character? Surely not an Agent, since records have shown him that Deliria Hollow was the only Agent left alive.

"What did 'Jerome' look like when he came to you?" Rufus questioned, doubting the accuracy of the form's information.

"He...He had silver hair, pale complexion, a straight nose, partially thin lips, and...and had...eyes that belonged to your SOLDIERs..." Briars stammered terribly.

Rufus raised an interested eyebrow. "Hair length?" He inquired.

"It looked to be at shoulder level..." Briars' voice quivered as he answered the questions.

Rufus smiled, relaxing against his chair. "Well… That'll be all the information I need. And don't forget to tell me of the result of your search after what Hollow requested from you. Thank you Briars."

"Yes sir... H-Have I told you enough sir?" The voice on the other line asked.

"Quite enough. I'm certain that 'Jerome' and his brothers are quite clever..." Rufus sneered and replaced the phone on its cradle to avoid a barrage of questions from Briars.

So Kadaj thought he could get away could he? Rufus stood and casually looked out the glass windows. Soon... His new and improved creation would be completed soon. His scientists had been working over time lately to hasten the completion of his new Sephiroth that would be under his control, and proved to be all that he needed to manipulate the entire Midgar, and then the whole world.

vVvVv

"Kadaj... do you know where you're going?" Ria asked from behind the Remnant who was currently racing through the busy streets of Junon.

"That guy told us the enterprise building was at Block 30 right?" Kadaj queried.

"Yeah... but you're going so fast that I doubt you even know where we are," Ria grumbled, pressing her face against the back of his leather clad shoulder.

Kadaj smirked. "Have a little faith in me girl," he crooned, stepping on the accelerator and causing the bike to move even faster.

Ria groaned, and thumped her head against his back, arms tightening around his waist and leaning her whole body against his. She didn't really like the sound of his voice when he said that.

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

Don't even get me started about information gathering. It was one of the jobs I hated the most as an Agent. It's pesky and annoying. So many twists and turns. For once, couldn't it be easy? No, of course not! I growl under my breath after catching sight of the enormous building that looks extremely run down. Like the owner hasn't a clue about maintenance.

"Should we barge in?" Kadaj suggests from my right. I turn toward him and see the malicious intent in his eyes, so I smack him smartly across his arm.

He chuckles and I roll my eyes.

"C'mon pretty boy... Let's go see if that officer over there knows who we're looking for," I grab his wrist and start dragging him over to the building's threshold.

vVvVv

The interior is decent enough—to say the least. Though it's really in bad shape, the employees are quite pleasant. Better than the city hall. If you're wondering what happened with that interview portion with the security guard, it wasn't a spectacular one. Turns out, the guy had just been employed a week ago. So, naturally, he had no idea what we were looking for, but he _did _give us consent to march inside the building and ask a few people around.

"So where do we start?" Kadaj asks, threading his fingers through mine in the process. I can't shrug him off now, can I? I smile.

"Reception desk?" I suggest. Seriously, I didn't know anywhere else to start. It's always the basics for me.

Weaving our way through masses of employees scurrying back and forth in black uniforms, Kadaj and I finally make it to our said destination. I was expecting another snotty young woman chewing gum, but no. The lady behind the reception desk looks pretty much like how I would imagine my mother to look like. Curly dark hair that's piled on top of her head, just enough make-up to her middle-aged face—indicating professionalism, and smart office clothes with the blazer hanging across the back of her chair. I guess she looks okay. I let go of Kadaj's hand.

"Good morning and excuse me, but may I ask a few questions about the company?" I start. Well, she looks old enough to be here in a long time.

The lady stops scouring her belongings in a drawer and looks at me, and then her gaze wavers to Kadaj whose attention was a mile away. I watch her face as she stares curiously at my company, but then she turns back to me and smiles honestly.

"I'll try my best, dear..." _Well... that's an encouraging start._

Clearing my throat, I voice the first question that comes into mind.

"Do you know who owns this company?" I ask quietly, and her mouth twists of one who's trying very hard to remember. _Is she for real?_

"Tell me, I'm ignorant dear, but I don't know," she replies, shaking her head.

"Then, _what _do you know?" I ask again; this time though, Kadaj is making a _really_ unnecessary display of holding my hand. _It's kind'a annoying. Oh shut yer mouth Ria; you know you love it. Shut up conscience!_

"I don't have a clue who's the owner of the company _now_, but I _do _recognize its former owner. He was a very nice man. Very diligent with his employees," the lady nods, almost nostalgic.

"W-What's his name?" I ask quietly.

"Xander Clarion. He's a very nice man. I used to be the love of his life, but eventually, things always change, and he married someone else," the lady shakes her head sadly, and flashes us a smile that's burdened with sadness, and a little bit of joy.

I caught Kadaj looking at me questioningly from the corner of my eye, and I decide to ignore him for now. More things are important at the moment.

"Do you know where he lives?" This is so crucial. This man could've been my biological father.

"Last I heard from him, he went to Midgar," I could've choked on my own spit. _What?!_

I nod once, still in a daze. "Well, thank you for your time... ma'am. May I know your name?"

"Oh just call me Pearl," she chuckles, placing a hand on my arm.

"It was nice meeting you and talking to you... Pearl. We... we have to go." I bow my head slightly and am about to turn away and hastily made our way to the exit.

Now we're outside, and I'm leaning against Kadaj's bike, trying to steady my wobbling legs. I know you're thinking overreaction, but that man she had been speaking about could be my father. Of course, I don't take chances and aren't jumping to conclusions just yet, but who wouldn't get a reaction like this? Maybe not you, but definitely me. I haven't seen my parents since birth. I don't even have a clue of what they look like...

"Ria, is everything okay?" A gentle had alights on my shoulder and I look to my right to see Kadaj staring at me.

"Yeah... I'm fine." _I hope I said it convincingly._ Kadaj looks at me dryly. _Okay, I failed._ I sigh.

"Don't jump to conclusions yet. I know what you're thinking. Let's just wait for further updates on Xander C. from Briars. He's the only one who could confirm your guesses," Kadaj says somewhat grudgingly. "As much as I don't trust him. At all." He hissed out the last part, and it made me shiver. "Let's go back to the inn and wait for Yazoo and Loz to come back from their grocery shopping," he chuckles smugly, swinging his leg over the motorbike.

I follow his lead and I don't even dare talk. Xander Clarion _could _be my father, but there's no telling. What if there's another Xander C. in Junon? And if Mr. Clarion moved to Midgar with his wife, that could explain the reason of my birth, and their donating me as a lab baby to Shin-Ra. But what if it's just a coincidence? After all, who _wouldn't _move to Midgar? So many job opportunities exist there—although I was unlucky at that spectrum, but who cares? Xander C. and his wife could be my parents; that is _if _I _am _the lab baby in that photo pasted in the document that's found its way to my file. I'm starting to get Trevor's doubts.

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

"So, did you find anything?" Yazoo questioned, putting up the plastic bag full of food on top of the counter.

"Yeah, but it's a blurry lead," Kadaj replied, shaking his head as he made his way to his brothers.

"What do you mean?" Yazoo asked; getting out the three boxes of pizzas he and Loz had bought earlier.

"We found the company you told us about, and turns out, the receptionist used to be the former owner's girlfriend. His name was Xander Clarion." Kadaj explained, subtly untying the ribbon on the pizza box.

Yazoo's eyes brightened at Kadaj's words, surprising himself how happy he felt at finally finding a lead to Ria's parents. "Do you think..."

"Don't get any ideas Yazoo... It's possible, but still far. Briars had claimed that there's more than one Xander in the city. And who knows how many of'em has last names that end with the letter 'C'." Kadaj shrugged, taking a pizza slice and biting into it.

Yazoo shook his head. "Yeah... Explain everything and subtly finish the whole box... That's Loz's favorite by the way," he retorted.

"Oh who cares? I'm hungry. I just finished _one _slice! Not the whole thing! What are you, dumb?" Kadaj scoffed, while Yazoo was unsuccessfully holding back a chuckle.

As if on cue, Loz entered the scene, clutching a carton of fresh milk in his hands while his eyes were all watery as he stared at the pizza Kadaj had just eaten off of. He looked at Yazoo, then at Kadaj who was very smug.

"That was mine," he whined.

"Can it, big baby..." Kadaj waved a hand at Loz. "We've got more important things to worry about."

Yazoo looked at Kadaj strangely. Knowing his older brother's line of thinking, Kadaj snapped.

"And I don't mean looking for Jenova! She's dead! We've got our charge to worry about now..." Kadaj explained a little too gleefully that it had Yazoo's hair stand on end.

"Did you just say that we're Ria's personal bodyguards?" Yazoo asked; eyes wide.

Kadaj blinked a couple of times. "Um... Oh hell... I think so. I mean, we _have _been going with her anywhere, and... as much as I hate admitting it, we got nowhere else to go if we abandon her now."

Yazoo's eyes softened at Kadaj's realizations. His little brother was indeed in love, and he couldn't blame him. "Don't worry... We'll all do our best... How 'bout when this has all blown away, we'll just live far from Midgar and start over?" Yazoo suggested.

"Idea considered..." Kadaj muttered.

"Where's Ria?" Loz asked, from the dining table.

Kadaj motioned with his head towards the direction where the bed was located. Yazoo and Loz followed his gaze, spotting a brunette, sleeping under the covers. You see, the brothers rented two rooms. Yazoo and Loz on the other room, and they were all currently in Kadaj and Ria's room since the Remnant leader deemed their room as their main stay during the day.

"How about I leave these here," Yazoo motioned towards a pizza box, "...And Loz and I will take the rest of our share of the groceries back in our room."

Kadaj nodded once.

vVvVv

Ria yawned, opening her eyes after having fallen asleep after going to that company. The stress must've taken its toll on her a lot harder than she thought. Still half asleep, she rolled over—hugging a pillow—on the side where the window was visible, and stopped, eyes wide and blinking as she took in the sight of Kadaj sitting cross legged on the bed, a pizza box on his lap, and nonchalantly nibbling at a slice of cheese pizza.

He grinned when he noticed that she was awake. "Want some?" He offered.

"Duh... I'm hungry," she grouched, reaching out and taking one from the box, and began nibbling on the crust first.

Kadaj rolled his eyes as Ria sat up and leaned against the headboard, deep in thought. She looked so tense, and he wanted to calm her down a bit, and hopefully ease up. He knew what could calm her down, but he was thinking of another way to bring it up. The idea came shortly and he placed the pizza box on the bed side table and got out of bed, heading for the fridge.

"This is what's for lunch, right?" Ria asked from across the room.

"Yup..." Kadaj called out, rummaging through the fridge for the item. Dammit because Loz must have taken the pocky sticks back with him. He should've known.

Kadaj found a long and thin chocolate bar, and shrugged. '_This'll have to do..._' He bounded across and jumped back on the mattress, causing it to shake slightly, and Ria glared at him exasperatedly.

"What's that?" She inquired, finishing her second pizza.

"Is for dessert," he crooned, taking the wrapper off, crumpling it into a ball, and throwing it accurately into the waste basket.

Ria smirked. Kadaj was holding two strips of the chocolate bar. They were pretty thin—didn't even reach half an inch—but it was approximately four inches long. Pouting, she asked for one, but he shook his head, and held it out of reach when she tried to grab it.

"I have a better idea," he decreed.

"And what is that?" she asked sourly.

Kadaj sat next to her. "We each take the end of the chocolate, and we eat our way to the middle." He smiled slightly. "If one of us breaks the chocolate, then, I think you can guess what's _not_ coming." He smirked.

Ria knew his train of thought, and really didn't think it was bad. The female part of her brain was already ahead of her, conjuring up would-be feelings and images of what it would be like to lick the left-over chocolate from his lips, but the logical part was screaming at her that this idea was ridiculous. Apparently, the female side won out, and she agreed.

Kadaj was thrilled and was positively giddy inside, but he hid those embarrassing feelings, and just stuck the two pieces of chocolate one on top of the other and took one end.

"This should make it more challenging," he spoke through the food clamped between his teeth, still managing to send a smirk her way.

Ria took the other end and glanced at Kadaj whose eyes were gleaming with mischievousness. She should've known. Slowly, she began nibbling at the end of the stick, concentrating on not breaking it. He did the same, but imploring a different technique. He subtly sucked on the chocolate, and then bit it carefully whenever it was soft enough. She, on the other hand, was having some difficulty eating out one part. It was so damn hard. Her teeth clamped down a bit forcefully, and she froze, fearing that the force accidentally cracked the middle. Fortunately, it didn't, and she tried gentler bites this time. Kadaj was coming a bit closer, an estimate of three inches between them.

Ria dared a look at him, and he smirked, returning to the task at hand. She glared at the chocolate that wouldn't budge. Either her teeth weren't strong enough, or this thing was just being stubborn. She sucked on it and took quite some time but her patience paid off. The chocolate melted into her mouth and she moved on. Kadaj, on the other hand, had already finished two inches of the chocolate bar. Two inches between them, and Ria wanted to finish up two inches too. She began doing it quickly, biting with as much force to break off a piece of the chocolate. She finished an inch before he was closing in on her. Lips a breath apart, with a short piece of dessert left between them, he winked at her, and attacked what was left. She growled and went after it, her mouth colliding with his.

The sudden force caused them to topple on the bed with her on top of him. His lips closed tightly, and she desperately kissed him, begging for the chocolate that had already gone down his throat. His tongue flicked out and softly traced along her lips, arms wrapping around her waist. She opened her mouth for him and let his tongue lick off the remaining chocolate on her lips. She brushed her tongue against his, and savored the sweet taste that the candy bar had left behind. He drew back, pushing up so he had her pinned against the headboard.

'_Had fun?' _Came Kadaj's voice through her mind.

'_Definitely... thanks for bringing up the idea,' _she replied, sucking on his bottom lip where most of the sweet taste had remained.

'_My pleasure...'_ He replied, his words replaced with a heated buzzing feeling at the back of her head as they continued making out for the last ten minutes.

* * *

**A/N: There's no lemon in this story. Ever. But there WILL be lemon on the other one I'm working on. I don't really feel comfortable writing graphic lemon. But I'm okay with reading it. This little tidbit of a make-out scene won't really impress those people who enjoy reading adult-rated romance. I'm sorry as usual and hope you'll still understand.**


	44. Chapter 43: Answers

**A/N: I really appreciate a review and thanks so much for reviewing this story. :D I shall update this story to the end! Here's chapter 43 for ya...**

* * *

**Chapter 43: Answers**

**Deliria's POV**

Aaaand... My merciless phone rings its head off. Who could be calling me at a time like this? Reluctantly, I slip out of Kadaj's arms and pick up my phone lying on the bedside table. And since I don't recognize the caller ID, it might as well be another prank caller. It continues ringing though, so I just suck it up and press the 'talk' button.

"_Hello... er... Deliria..._"

Why is that voice suddenly so familiar?

"May I ask who's calling?" I cock my head to the side even if the other person on the other line can't see. Kadaj is staring at me though.

"_It's... Briars... I have...interesting news...for you_."

Papers are being shuffled on the other line, and I know this guy's definitely found something interesting new developments. A slight twinge of overreaction found its way to my system, as I just realize that I'm quite nervous. Sighing to calm myself, I straighten my posture and ask:

"What news?"

**Normal POV**

The man scoured around his computer, typing away as much Xanders he could possibly find. Apparently though, he was wrong since there were only four men in the whole of Junon who come by the name of Xander. He had Xander Block, Xander Willson, Xander Clarion, and Xander Clove. It was interesting since Deliria had informed him that she was looking for a Xander C. That only left two names. Xander Clarion and Xander Clove.

Standing from his place, he walked to the opposite side of the room where the file cabinets were. Finding the drawer for the people whose last names begin with the letter C, he quickly opened it and dug out Clarion's and Clove's papers. Both were registered as citizens of Junon of course, and he opened Clarion's folder to scan for some info.

Turned out, this man had a wife and a daughter. He was the former owner of Crystalline Enterprises, and they were living at a countryside in Junon. The other one, Clove, was a widowed man and had three sons. Their recent location was just in the city. Whoever Deliria was looking for, he'd leave her to it. It wasn't his business anymore, and Rufus had instructed him to follow through with the girl's request. After this, his jobs were done.

Reaching for his phone, he hastily punched in the needed numbers and brought the receiver up to his ear, waiting for an answer. When he realized that his call had been recognized, he spoke, though still distracted with reading the information on the bio-data sheets.

"Hello... er... Deliria..."

"_May I ask who's calling?_" Oh fabulous, she just didn't recognize him.

"It's... Briars... I have...interesting news...for you." Oh yes... Interesting indeed.

"_What news?_"

"I've found... identities as to who you are looking for. Xander C., correct?"

"_Yeah... What've you found?_" She spoke on the other line, her voice demanding.

Moistening his lips, he spoke: "There are two Xander C.'s in the country... One is Clarion, the other is Clove. I'll send you the information you need shortly. I just called to inform..."

"_T-Thank you, Mr. Briars... I appreciate your help,_" she stammered on the other line.

"Anytime dear..." Hanging up the phone, he went out and photocopied the bio-data sheets of the two men, and subtly went on his way to the post office.

He knew it would take about a week for them to deliver, but he'd tell them that it's an emergency. Besides, their superior would understand, because that man was also under Shin-Ra's control, as much as Briars was.

vVvVv

"So what'd he say?" Kadaj inquired after his girlfriend put down the phone.

"Xander Clarion and Xander Clove..." Ria murmured. Those two names being the only things occupying her head at the moment.

vVvVv

The mail had arrived the next morning and Ria was obnoxiously tripping over the furniture in her haste to reach the door when somebody knocked. She had been like that since yesterday, and Kadaj was terribly amused as he watched her across the room, signing a receipt, and then she closed the door and didn't bother getting comfortable first.

He let her have her way, and he just crossed his legs and played with the teaspoon, stirring the creamy substance in his cup without even paying attention. His thoughts were clearly elsewhere. And the room was unusually quiet for a while. Kadaj was about to ask Ria if she was okay, but she beat him to it.

"Oh my gosh," she breathed across the room. "This is incredible... Who should we see first?"

"Um... That's clearly up to you..." Kadaj mused, standing up and making his way over to her.

He snatched the papers from her hands despite her indignant squawk of his name in disbelief. She tried to retrieve the mailed file from him, but he held her at bay so easily. This action only seemed to frustrate her some more. Once Kadaj was done, he thought hard, still keeping the papers from reach. Clarion and Clove; one of these two men was Ria's father. It dawned on him that this would be her decision.

"Give it back!" She launched herself at him, knocking Kadaj to the floor.

"Before I do," he interjected sharply, "...you need to tell me something."

Ria stopped her threatening assault as Kadaj sat up and so did she. "What would that be?" she growled, arms folded across her chest.

"This will be your decision. It's up to you, who we're seeing first. And when we _do_ find your biological parents, promise me that you'll take this chance and don't let it go..." Kadaj finished his statement, his eyes staring intently at the brunette.

She winced uncomfortably under his scrutinizing gaze—almost as if she was staring at the cold killer that had kidnapped her in the old Shin-Ra building instead of the boy she loved. She knew he was only looking out for her, and he was well aware of her fears. So what if she met her real parents? What then? She couldn't exactly knock on their door and tell them: 'Hi! I'm the daughter you dumped in the orphanage... I came looking for you, and now I've found you... It's a pleasure to meet you Mom and Dad.' She shuddered at the thought of plastering a strained grin on her face.

"Y-Yeah... I'll do my best..." she whispered, and almost yelped at the sudden feel of Kadaj's arms wrapping around her, holding her to him.

"You know I'll be here... You can do this... I know you can..." He kissed the top of her head, and he heard her sigh and felt her lean into him.

vVvVv

As it is, Ria's decision was to see Xander Clarion first. She really had a strong haunch. _If _they were her real parents, then they'd have a lot of explaining to do. Why did she come of age in an orphanage? And was she really a lab baby? Those two questions were just among many other she really longed to grill them with. And right now, sitting behind Kadaj on his motorbike, on their way to see Mr. Clarion, she was a mess of wrought nerves. Her stomach refused to stay put—always knotting into a pretzel. It made her want to throw up, but it wasn't exactly agreeable to barf on Kadaj at the moment. Maybe he'd throw her off.

All too soon, Kadaj had pulled up near a long driveway that led to a one-storey house with a front porch. Ria swallowed the bile that rose to her throat, and stared blankly ahead. What if they _were _her real parents and they'd disown her? Or worse. The feel of smooth skin rubbing against her bare hand had jolted her to awareness. She looked up at Kadaj who was gazing worriedly at her. He wasn't wearing his usual black leather outfit, instead, today he wore dark jeans, and a black v-neck t-shirt along with black sneakers, and a black leather jacket. Kadaj refused the first time they pushed this on him of course, but Yazoo's and Loz's incessant pestering forced him too. Needless to say, he clearly needed to blend in a bit more. Ria smiled slightly at the memory of Kadaj hissing out foul language when Yazoo threw him the 'disguises'.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked, tucking a strand of hair behind Ria's ear.

"Yeah... Just nervous," she whispered under her breath, glancing at the house ahead of them. It didn't look anything like how she would expect a former owner of a company's house would look like.

Kadaj smiled encouragingly at her, and kissed her forehead. "You can do this... Trevor's proud."

At the mention of her best friend's name, Ria had been given a boost of confidence. Kadaj was right. Trevor's sacrifice would mean nothing if she didn't finish what she'd started. Squaring her shoulders, she walked to the house, Kadaj behind her. Upon reaching the front door, however, she hesitated. Kadaj rolled his eyes, and knocked unabashedly at the door. Ria scowled at him, but soon the expression faded when the front door opened, revealing a blonde woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties and whose hair was tied in a high ponytail. Crystal blue eyes gazed at amethyst ones, and the next few events that took place were not what the brunette expected. At all. Not even in a million decades. The woman sobbed with relief and pulled the unsuspecting Agent into her arms.

"It's you... It's really you..."

* * *

**A/N: Aaaand our little agent finally finds her birth parents.**


	45. Chapter 44: Alexandria Clarion

**A/N: This will actually comprise a long narrative of my main OC's life, and as per usual, more OCs are being introduced in my story. I can basically count the numbers of the FFVII characters I used on my fingers. Or maybe there are just as many OCs as FFVII characters mentioned in this story-though very few of them actually play a huge part. The SHM do though, because they're my best interests.**

* * *

**Chapter 44: Alexandria Clarion**

**Deliria's POV**

When I first stepped into the front porch and Kadaj knocked on the door without hesitation, my insides were in turmoil. And it especially didn't help when the door opened to reveal a blonde woman and to realize that she was staring at me openly. The next thing I expected was a demand to know who I was and what was I doing waiting outside their house. But never in a million years would I expect a total stranger to wrap her arms around me.

"It's you... It's really you..." She whispers against my neck.

I don't know what's come over me. "M-Mom?" _Did I say that out loud? _

"You're alive! Oh, we thought you died. H-How? Please, come inside..."

My Mother ushers me and Kadaj inside the house, so we follow. She turns and disappears abruptly to another part of the house where my Father was sure to be waiting. That was it? That had been so easy... And my Mom recognizes me and I don't even know who she is apart from she's the wife of Xander Clarion—my father. She gave me such an open welcome, and is it even possible? A girl who grows up in an orphanage with zero knowledge of her parents and she soon finds them and they greet her like she's just been away on a short vacation. There's an urge to cry, but I hold the tears back. How could they act like they hadn't abandoned me?

"Well, that went well," Kadaj says, still frozen standing next to me I guess.

I just sigh. My parents come rushing into the living room. And a man—my father, I suppose—stares at me in awe like he can't believe himself.

"It's her... Don't you recognize your own daughter?" My Mom says, gazing at him, hopefully it seems.

And since he won't make a move, I'll just take initiative. "Mr. Clarion? My name is Deliria Hollow, and I just wanted to ask some questions," I say, forcing the words out from a strange barrier that's somehow enclosed my vocal cords.

"My daughter," he exclaims, taking me aback. _Creepy! They recognize me! _

From the corner of my eye, I can see Kadaj was about to intercept, but we're both stopped when my 'father' rushes toward me and takes me in his arms like a long lost possession.

He finally lets me go, and I take a deep breath to steady myself.

"I have some questions and I need some explanations too... Are you really my parents?" The last sentence comes out as a whisper, and I catch them both looking melancholic.

"We understand how you feel, Alexandria," I resist the urge to choke. _Is that supposed to be my name? _"And I promise, we'll tell you everything. After all you've been through... I'm sorry you had to find out like this... But please, let's get comfortable first..."

It's really not a bad idea, and besides, Alexandria? Seriously? Alexandria Clarion? That's supposed to be my name?

vVvVv

**Normal POV  
**

"You should know, honey, that your father and I were happily married. After the honeymoon, we settled right away and started living in the city. Your father owned an investing company, Crystalline Enterprises, and the first few months of marriage were wonderful even so after I found I was pregnant to you," Ria's mother smiled, almost nostalgic as she related these events. Her father however had been quiet, only agreeing occasionally. "When I was five months pregnant, strife had risen amongst your father's investing company and their business partner..."

"They offered me a preposition, which they claimed was the only way to save my business—since it was in its down state," her father interjected. "They wanted to take full ownership of CE, but I wouldn't consent. That business was not only our source of livelihood, but it held sentimental value to me, being the only son of my father, that company was entrusted to _me_. In turn, when you would come of age, it would be passed on to you..." her father trailed off.

"Who was the opposing company?" Ria asked, wary but already having the pinch of an idea to who they might be and dreaded asking as soon as her father proclaimed the name through his lips.

"Shin-Ra Electric... That's how conflict started of course, and as time seemed to pass, it got worse. It seems that the president of Shin-Ra Electric wanted my investing company so badly. My stature wavered, and for a moment, I thought of your mother's welfare and yours. You were due in two months, and the conflicts arising on our family just seemed to add stress. So I went to Midgar and discussed matters with Shin-Ra personally instead of on phone. We got nowhere but I asked him to stop his advances for the time being, and we would discuss it some more after you were born. He agreed. Two months later, you were born, but not as healthy as we expected you to be. You were diagnosed with a problem involving your circulatory system. Your heart was weak... perhaps because of underdevelopment, but in your condition of birth, it was most likely impossible. Your mother nurtured you well in the womb for nine months..."

Ria could sense the tension in the air just by speaking about it. She was born a sickly child. Looking to her mother, she could see the woman, holding back the urge to cry. She guessed looking back to this point in their lives was an awful thing; to relive the moment when they thought they'd lost her.

"And then...?" She asked, coaxing her father to continue.

"The doctor informed me that the chances of your survival are at eighty percent. They suggested an emergency operation, and they'd do it if I gave my consent, but the side effects to such an early close examination of your body were unknown. Anything could happen," her father explained to which she nodded with agreement. A baby could die after an operation. "After your mother had gone to sleep that night, I received a phone call," Ria growled under her breath. "Shin-Ra knew about your birth, and asked how everything was. I'm sorry Alexandria, but I couldn't think of other ways to help you. I didn't want to of course, but seeing your condition back then, I imagined what your life would be if you weren't cured. I told Shin-Ra I'd ask my wife first..."

"Your father woke me up in the middle of the night," her mother interrupted him in an exasperated voice. "He started telling me about this outrageous idea of letting Shin-Ra keep you and cure you... I asked him for a complete explanation and your father told me everything..."

"And...and you _agreed_? _Why?!_" Ria demanded, angry and hurt at her parents' immature decision.

"Alex, if we didn't consent, you would've died!" Her mother's voice was on the verge of breaking and the brunette looked away. Of course it made sense.

"And then what happened?"

"We took you to Midgar, to Shin-Ra's laboratory. The president promised me they'd return you to us—alive and cured, in exchange for the company's ownership, and I agreed..." Her father explained. "We insisted on staying in Midgar for a full week, because that's how long you were going to take there, but they explained that such interruptions and distractions could be lethal. They wanted us here, so your mother and I obliged. Shin-Ra told me they'd contact me to give me the news, but a full week had passed, and there was no phone call, nothing... We went to Midgar once more and asked the president how you were, and where were you. He told me you didn't make it. He told me you died. So I gave up my ownership of CE, and lived a secluded life with your mother and your little sister... here."

By the time he finished, her mother was already crying, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Ria's face turned solemn, imagining how hard it must be for them. Shin-Ra cheated on her parents! Who knows what despicable things they had been doing to her behind her parents' backs? And to think that she was trained and used by the same company for three long years. That time was short, but everyday had seemed like endless torture; going on countless missions, and doubling as assassins whenever the Turks were busy doing other things.

"You had no idea what happened to me after that?" Ria inquired softly.

"No... Your 'death' had us despairing for years..." Her father explained.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I grew up in an orphanage in Midgar with no recollection of who brought me there. It came to mind that it was home." She started, her parents just as surprised as they looked at her in awe. "At the age of twelve, Rufus Shin-Ra—the new president—ordered a collection of teenagers ranging from ages eleven and above. They took me as well. They trained us for a couple of weeks before I was sent on my very first mission. I was assigned here many a time, but I never bothered to find out who my parents are. It's something that came to mind after the Meteor Incident and our group was scattered. A lot of us died, and after that I was left with nothing. I started hunting for a job until I had been accepted as an assistant bar maid in Seventh Heaven. Tifa and Cloud took me in, and took care of me until... I met _him_," she whispered the last part, looking away from her parents.

"Him?" Her mother prodded.

"Kadaj...and his brothers." She fell silent after that, not wanting to relate the torture, the three inflicted. After all, she had come to be a part of their little family too. Good thing her parents didn't pry. "How did you recognize me?"

"I just knew you somehow... It's a mother's instinct..." Her mom smiled. "Even if you don't resemble either of us... do you know why, though?" Her mom asked.

Ria sighed and relayed the whole story of finding out her true identity and the documents she found on her Agent's bio-data. Now that it was confirmed that the baby in the picture had been her. She wished she brought it with her though. Finding her parents and coming this far only led her to another question. What had Shin-Ra's scientists been injecting her and what did they want from her? That means more sneaking around in Midgar then. And hopefully, she could return to her normal life.

"I guess, I'd better go," she stood up, ready to leave but the hopeful looks on her parents' faces made her stop.

"At least stay for lunch and dinner and for tonight... We have plenty of catching up to do..." Her mother pleaded.

At the look they were giving her, Ria just relented. "Alright... I'll go tell Kadaj."

vVvVv

**Kadaj's POV **

It's been an hour but it feels like so much longer. Ria's still in there I think, conversing with her parents. And I actually volunteered to step out and give them some privacy. Now I make myself wonder: 'What happened to Kadaj?' I think I've grown nice to some people...if only a little bit. I don't regret coming out here and enjoying the scenery though... It's beautiful even if it's kind'a dead. Occasional cars pop out of nowhere and disappear. Exactly the kind of place I imagined growing up and living in when I was a kid. I smirk. But then again, what had ever been normal in my life?

"Kadaj?" Okay, my reminiscing is done... I don't even have to turn to know that it's Ria.

"Hey," I greet without looking at her. A hand touches my arm.

"Are you okay?" She sounds almost concerned. Scratch that, she _sounds _concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine... Just having some fresh air..."

_Let's do the happy dance. I don't quite lie anymore! Yey?_

"Do you still want to stay out here?" She asks again, standing beside me.

"If it's alright with your folks, yeah I do..."

"Okay," Ria sighed. "Come in whenever you feel like it, and I'll call you when lunch is ready. I gotta go back inside and help my mom..."

"Have fun," I curse inside my head. I sound cold and unapproachable, but none of that seems to matter because I felt the sudden pressure of soft lips touching my cheek.

Before she could pull back, I turn my head sideways just to kiss her properly. Pulling back, she smiles at me and turns around, making her way for the closed screen door, my eyes unable to tear away from her. _She's hot_...

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

"Mom, I'm home! And who's the weird guy hanging out on our porch?"

Ria snapped up at the voice that rang from the living room. Her mother shook her head, and continued chopping vegetables into thin strips. The brunette continued cutting the block of bacon.

"Mom! Where're you?"

"I'm in here Alex!" Her mother called out, and then in a much softer voice, explained to her firstborn. "That's your younger sister..."

Ria just nodded wordlessly and continued her task. The 'weird guy' her sister had probably yelled about was Kadaj. Now she wondered what the Remnant was thinking. So he was still out there. And it was almost lunch time. Finally, she heard a different set of footsteps enter the kitchen. A surprised gasp and she and her mother finally whirled around.

"Alex... You're early..." Her mother greeted, stepping closer to the dirty blonde haired teenager in the kitchen doorway and gave her a hug.

"Um... Who's this, Mom?" Alex asked politely, glancing curiously at Ria.

"Sweetie, do you still remember what we told you about your older sister?"

"You told me she died," Alex stated bluntly.

Ria just continued to do her job, while listening to her mother and her sister talk about her. Now she knew this was her family. Her sister sounded a lot like her when she was pissed or just extremely curious about a particular subject. She kept her mouth shut though, and waited for her attention to be called.

"That's my older sister?" Alex sounded so hesitant...

"Alexandria," her mom called, and she stopped what she was doing to come closer to them. "I want you to meet Alex, your younger sister..."

Ria could only stare at her almost mirror image except that Alex had dirty blonde hair, and crystal blue eyes, a straight nose, and partially thin lips. Her skin was a natural cream color, in contrast to Ria's slightly pale skin.

"Hey," Alex breathed almost hesitantly.

Ria nodded once. "Hi..." She replied, unsure of what to say.

"Can we talk?" Alex asked again, to which Ria replied with an enthusiastic nod.

vVvVv

"So who's that silver-haired guy hanging out outside?" Alex asked casually, opening the door to her bedroom and taking a seat on the edge of her bed.

"That was Kadaj..." Ria replied, continuing to stand near the doorway.

"Kadaj, huh?" Alex queried, lips twisting in a contemplative matter. "You're gonna think I'm weird, but that dude you took with you out there, is one delicious piece of eye candy."

Ria smirked. "I know..."

"So where've you been this last thirteen years of my life?" Alex asked.

At this, Ria smirked. "Trust me... I have no idea either..."

"Do you have any idea what happened to you?" Alex questioned once more.

"Yeah... And it's a long story... You'd better ask your parents," Ria sighed, unwilling to abandon her post at the doorway.

"Sit here... I think you're getting a leg cramp just by standing there," Alex smirked, patting the spot on the mattress that was unoccupied.

Obeying her sister's wishes, Ria quietly plopped down on the bed. Her sister was looking at her somewhat strangely; probably wondering why she didn't have blonde hair like the rest of her family did.

"Sooo... Your name's Alexandria, right?" The blonde asked, twirling a strand of hair on her pinky.

"That's my supposed name if I grew up with you... The name I grew up knowing is Deliria Hollow... That's what all the kids and the management at the orphanage called me." Ria explained.

"Cool name... Deliria Hollow. How'd you get in the orphanage?" Ria glanced at Alex, noting the curious glint in her crystal blue eyes.

In reply to the blonde's question, Ria just sighed and shook her head.

"You mean you have no idea?" Alex asked, cocking her head to the side.

"No recollection whatsoever... It just feels like I woke up there. Came to know it was my home." Ria clarified, hoping to stop the line of questioning.

"I'm gonna ask you a different question. And it's about Kadaj..." Alex started, and somehow, Ria just knew the next thing she was going to ask. "Are you guys dating?"

Ria blinked a couple of times and looked at her sister as if she'd grown a second head. Of course, it was normal for a newly teenaged girl to ask such a question, but never so openly and loudly if she might add. Alex's eyes were twinkling with anticipation and curiosity that had been present since they started interacting.

"Yeah, we are..." Ria replied quietly, and she caught her sister's face fall in depression. It could only mean one thing. "You already like him?"

Alex just nodded and her lighter mood bounced back onto the surface. "Kind of... I mean, he's really gorgeous and all, and he's the type of guy I would imagine as my boyfriend... Except Kadaj, is kind'a weird. Don't tell him I said that!" She finished in one breath.

Ria laughed slightly. "Have you even talked to him?"

"Nope... But just looking at him gives me this weird feeling. When I came to the porch steps, I was glaring at him because I didn't know who the hell that guy is, and then he stared me down, almost as if he's _daring _me to question him blatantly... I just ignored him and went inside," Alex explained.

"Typical of him," Ria smirked, "...Kadaj has a strong tendency to be... intimidating."

"You said it... How'd you know each other?" Alex asked, curious yet again.

Ria had doubts of telling however. How she and Kadaj had met wasn't really important and besides, it was a long story anyway. A lot of violence had been involved and a couple of their precious moments too that weren't really the type you'd spill to anyone and just keep it to yourself.

"It's a _very _long story and much longer if I detail everything..." Ria deadpanned.

"Okay, I won't pry... Not because it's a '_very _long story' but maybe it's because it's something private," Alex winked quite flirtatiously.

Ria just sighed, glad for the uncalled for understanding. She could tell the blonde was about to ask something else when both heard their mother call them down for lunch.

vVvVv

Time flies and before everyone knew it, Mr. Clarion had declared that it was time for bed and kept saying how it was a long day. Alex had offered Ria to stay in her room and the latter told the former she'd see.

"Okay... but you're welcome to come inside my room anytime. It's damn near eleven!" Alex shrieked upon seeing the hands of the clock on the wall. She yawned. "No wonder I'm tired. See you in the morning, sis. Night..." She chirruped before trudging her way into her room.

"Night Mom!" Ria called to her Mother who was still in the kitchen.

"Where're you going honey? It's late..." Her mother called back.

"I'm just gonna go claim Kadaj outside. He's been depositing himself out there for a while now," Ria replied, smiling as she did and didn't wait for her mother to reply.

She just opened the screen door and stepped out into the chilly night air. Rubbing her hands for warmth, she walked towards Kadaj who was still absentmindedly staring at the sky, its expanse littered with glittering stars from afar. Wrapping her arms around his waist from behind, she spoke softly:

"Hey. It's time to go to sleep. Aren't you tired yet?" She inquired.

"They're so far away..." Kadaj mused, more to himself.

"Kadaj?" Ria asked, trying to get him to snap out of it. "What's so far away?"

"Stars... Just had the sudden interest to observe them." He chuckled, freeing himself from her gentle grasp, and pulling her to him until her back hit his chest. He wrapped his arms around her; enveloping her in the subtle warmth she had always loved feeling. It was a sense of contentment she could feel only when she was with him.

"They're always like that..." Ria whispered, still talking about the stars.

Kadaj rested his chin on her right shoulder. "So when do you plan to go back?" He asked.

"Tomorrow... That's why we need to get some sleep now."

Kadaj smirked. "Okay..." He turned her around so she was facing him, and he placed his fingers under her chin before he tilted her head up and kissed her lovingly.

vVvVv

She sighed as she watched them through the window. Some part of her subconscious told her this was a wrong thing to do, but Alexandria was her daughter after all, and she only meant to check what was going on outside—to know what was taking her so long, so she peeked through the windows only to see that silver-haired boy holding her daughter, and subtly kissed her too.

Alexandria was a young lady now, and she went through so much. For the last seventeen years, they had always believed that she had died, but she was alive. Her daughter was just living life, and to see her so content and happy in that boy's arms, it should've made her concerned or anxious, but strangely, she felt happy for the couple. This feeling seemed unfair to Alex, however, considering as that girl was very flirty but sweet and honest all the same. Alexandria was different.

She was their long lost child that had just been found. And what kind of Mother would she be to judge Alexandria's interaction with this 'Kadaj' character. He seemed nice anyway, albeit a little reserved but still obviously gentle.

So she watched them still. She watched as their kiss continued, two silhouetted shapes nearly merging into one body and being illuminated in nothing but star light. Smiling, she let them have their moment—feeling as if she'd intruded enough on their privacy. Retreating from the window and back to the dining room, she realized she was crying.

Her once little baby was now grown up. And she didn't even get the chance to witness that growth. From an innocent loving child to a strong and free-willed young woman her daughter was now.

* * *

**A/N: You know guys? Reviews make me really happy, so I say a very big thank you to Captain Kuroyuki, lilith dracul, and my guest reviewer... Even if it's just you three, I'll still update... You asked for it, so you're definitely getting it... School's really making me busy so, I apologize if I won't be able to update faster than I should have...**


	46. Chapter 45: Sacrifice

**A/N: Because I feel strangely happy today, I'm giving my readers a present of two chapters... Despite how tired I am because of CAT instruction in the high school curriculum... ugh! Anyways, leave a review as always and happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter 45: Sacrifice**

**Normal POV**

"Alexandria!" Her mother called from the dining room, making the brunette stop in her tracks towards the guestroom she shared with Kadaj.

"You go ahead... I'll be in shortly," she smiled.

He nodded once and headed off to the direction of the guest's room just as Ria made her way to the dining room where her mother was waiting for her. The blonde woman was sitting on one of the dining chairs, reading a book and wearing her reading glasses.

"What is it, Mom?" She asked politely.

"Oh...yes. Would you mind having a little chat?"

"Um...okay." Ria pushed back a chair and took a seat, waiting for her mother to continue. "What do you want to talk about?"

Mrs. Clarion closed the book and pushed it back; removing her reading glasses with her other hand as she did. She hoped the subject wouldn't be too touchy for her daughter. She wanted to have a mother-daughter chat.

"Are you happy with him?" Her mother asked.

It took Ria three seconds to figure out that her mother meant Kadaj. Well, yes... She _was _happy with him. He was protective, loving, gentle, and tried to be sensitive around her. He's a sweet person nonetheless. Once you got to know him, he really isn't that bad. She snapped out of her thoughts when she remembered that her mother was waiting for an answer.

"I'm happy being with him, Mom. He's helped me through a lot," she explained.

Her mother nodded. "I see..."

"Is there something wrong?" Ria asked, fidgeting with the tip of her braided hair.

Mrs. Clarion smiled warmly at her daughter. "No, dear... Nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking how time had flown by so fast. Here we were, thinking for seventeen years that you were dead, and you show up out of the blue." The woman sighed. "I didn't even get to see you grow up... But you love each other, right?"

Ria bit her lip. Kadaj knew she loved him, but she didn't know how _he_ felt. Perhaps he did love her, but he never _actually _told her. He didn't confess any of those feelings and it got her wondering: '_Does he really love me?_'

"Y-Yeah... We love each other," she managed to strain, forcing the words out from a thick barrier that had lodged itself in her throat.

Seeing her daughter's distress, she decided to ask. "Did he tell you he loved you?" She pondered gently.

As an answer to her gentle question, Ria shook her head. The brunette knew she shouldn't be having doubts. Kadaj's actions were so evident, showing nothing but love. But she couldn't simply trust that feeling—that warm buzz at the back of her head every time their lips touched. It was exhilarating to experience that feeling. It was true, but what if... No! She couldn't think that. But how could she not? He didn't even tell her.

"I understand how you feel, honey... Sometimes, men have doubts to actually express themselves openly. Don't worry though... He'll come around to saying it." Her mother smiled warmly at her.

Ria smiled and it was at that exact moment that her cellphone chose to destroy the serenity of the situation. She couldn't think of anyone calling her at this time of night, and she really didn't like that feeling at her spine. And now that she thought about it, she hadn't thought of Shin-Ra since the day they left Midgar and escaped a narrow ambush that had been set up. Shin-Ra must have known of their planned trip to Junon. If that happened, then that would mean...

Ria shook her head, trying to stubbornly deny the fact that Shin-Ra's company wanted her dead. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she pressed the 'talk' button and held the receiver up to her ear.

"_Well done, Agent Hollow... The whole company applauds you," _came the mocking voice from the other line.

"What do you want?" She demanded in a harsh tone that caught her mother by surprise.

"_I've received reports that you've finally found your parents," _Rufus crooned on the other line. _"Xander Clarion and Lex Promesse, eh? Tsk, tsk."_

"Shut up Rufus!" Ria snapped. "What do you want from me?"

"_Plain and simple, dear. You see, I wasn't so happy to know you actually escaped the ambush. You should've just surrendered and we wouldn't have had to resort to such things. You should've just accepted death with open arms and surrendered the Remnants to us..." _Rufus spoke through gritted teeth.

"What do you mean?" Ria asked, glancing at her mother who was mouthing words at her, looking very worried.

"_I mean, I won't tolerate that kind of behavior anymore. I've planted bombs somewhere in your parents' property. Let me explain the mechanics. When activated, it cannot be stopped by simply finding it and dismantling the wires. And the explosion itself has a stronger impact than an atomic bomb." _ Rufus explained, causing the brunette to blanch. _"This means you have no way out... Checkmate." _Rufus concluded, so smug.

That whole statement seemed to freeze time all together. She couldn't hear anything, couldn't say a word, and if possible, her vision could've gone blank. How could they have been so dumb as to leave Midgar so carelessly without even considering the fact that Shin-Ra would be tracking them down? Rufus controlled the bombs—no doubt about that, and even if she _did _find the explosives tonight, there was only a matter of seconds before it would blow.

"Does it have a timer?" Ria demanded, resisting the urge to reveal the fact that she was panicking inside.

"_I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you..." _Rufus mused. _"I had it planted yesterday. This leaves you with approximately," _a pause, _"Two minutes... I know it might seem long, but-"_

Ria interrupted him before he could continue. "Spare my family's life!" She nearly screamed, seeing her mother's shocked expression. "I... I'll do anything. Just call them off. Please..." She was _begging_. Oh, she couldn't believe herself.

"_Oh I don't know, Agent. You've been disappointing me long enough... Dead or alive, I would still want the Remnants, and you eradicated." _She could practically imagine Rufus's grim expression right now. _"Two minutes, forty-seven seconds... and counting."_

Ria sighed worriedly. Time was running out. The most beautiful day of her life turned out to be the day of her and her family's death sentence.

"Honey, _please _tell me what's going on? What's wrong?" Her mother cried, getting hysterical.

She held up a hand to silence her distressed mother. "Isn't there anything I can do to change your mind?" She bargained, desperately wishing she could stall for much needed time.

"_I'm afraid not..." _She thought she could hear the wicked smile in his voice.

A sudden thought struck her. But it was so risky. If she'd risk revealing that she was their missing lab baby, so much could be put at stake. At the moment, it was almost the _only_ option she could think of—and the only one worth considering. She couldn't exactly find the bomb now and take it with her. Her butt felt like it was glued to the hard wooden seat.

"I'm your missing lab baby. I'm Specimen no. 005-022-582! Do anything you want with me... Just spare my family and the Remnants!"

vVvVv

"_I'm your missing lab baby. I'm Specimen no. 005-022-582! Do anything you want with me... Just spare my family and the Remnants!" _

Rufus couldn't believe what he was hearing. Specimen no. 005-022-582? To be honest, he could still remember that day when a scientist had approached him on the subject of a missing lab specimen years ago. He merely shrugged it off back then. The scientist had been explaining about turning the infant into the greatest SOLDIER's breeding partner. The experiment having had taken place back when Rufus's father was still in control of the company. But the infant had disappeared—as what he had been told—and they had no clue of who might have taken it.

On the other hand, the offer wasn't that bad. Rufus wanted an army of loyal robots that would follow his remodeled Sephiroth—the one that would be subject to his control. It wasn't bad to test it on a willing participant. He checked the timer. Two minutes and nineteen seconds left.

"You're _actually willing_ to be a specimen?" Rufus couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face.

"_A-As long as you spare my family and the Remnants. You would leave them alone and take me instead... I'll agree to terms you would pass on."_ Ria's voice was shaking.

"If you say so... My only term will be to do as I say and you're my specimen from this time on. One of my scientists mentioned they needed Jenova's cells. I want you to get it for me. I want the cells residing in Kadaj's bloodstream, and then come to me and submit yourself to 24/7 experimentation..." Rufus explained, imagining the possibilities of this elaborate plan. He would achieve what he wanted after all.

vVvVv

"_If you say so... My only term will be to do as I say and you're my specimen from this time on. One of my scientists mentioned they needed Jenova's cells. I want you to get it for me. I want the cells residing in Kadaj's bloodstream, and then come to me and submit yourself to 24/7 experimentation..."_

Such a heavy price. But what could she do? Her family's lives were at stake, and she couldn't afford to lose them now. She owed the Remnants so much, so that's why she had to do this. Worse, it called for deceiving Kadaj to lend her his blood. But this was all part of that deal. It was to keep them all safe, and there was nothing she could do about it now. She had agreed to terms and conditions given, and Rufus had officially declared her as a specimen from this time on. As hard and painful as it was, she had to do this. Sometimes, you had to sacrifice your own freedom for others who deserved it more.

"You have my word." She stated firmly, her chest constricting painfully. "Now call them off!"

"_Done,"_ came Rufus's smug voice.

vVvVv

"Are you okay? You look stressed," Kadaj stated as they opened the door to the inn where they checked in a few days ago.

"Yeah... I'm fine," Ria lied, hating the butterflies flitting across her stomach that made her downright nauseous.

They had just left the Clarions' home, and went back to the inn for a talk on further plans. Yazoo and Loz's room was locked. So maybe they went out, and Kadaj and Ria decided to go to their room for a while, to rest. For the rest of the ride back, Ria had been unusually quiet, and seemed distant. Her parents were uneasy too—like they knew that something was bothering their daughter.

[Flashback to 2hrs ago]

_Kadaj sat on a dining chair, Ria's family members eating silently. The Remnant silently observed each family member, watching their expressions. Ria looked really uneasy, as if she was walking on eggshells—literally. She sipped on her coffee with silent distress, and he could sense it. Mrs. Clarion had unusually been quiet too. When yesterday, Ria's mother was practically chatty and talkative. Kadaj noticed that Ria's little sister—Alex—was just as confused as he was._

_Being a Remnant with heightened senses, he could easily sense tension in the air. And it was present now. Ria's parents and herself were pretty quiet. Like a single word could break the whole house to pieces. Ria's parents were looking at their eldest daughter confused and obviously worried. Ria was hiding something from them... and from him._

_When she bade them her goodbyes, she went as far as to embracing both of her parents and giving her little sister a kiss on the cheek. He didn't dare to say a word when they got on his motorcycle. Ria sighed heavily as she lay her head against the back of his shoulder. She was so tense, and Kadaj cursed the thought that entered his head—suggesting that he invade her privacy and kiss her so he could read her thoughts. He decided he would do it when it's gone too far. _

"_You don't look happy..." Kadaj mused as they drove through traffic._

"_Huh?" Ria piped, confirming Kadaj's thoughts that she was spacing. _

_Kadaj shook his head. "I said you don't look happy..." He muttered, keeping his hand gripped on the handlebars._

"_I _am _happy... I'm just...don't feel like talking," she murmured the last part, but he still heard her._

[End of flashback]

"Why don't you drink something to calm yourself?" Kadaj suggested, frowning slightly.

"I'm fine... Really... I'll be in the balcony for a bit," she mused, not even waiting for Kadaj's reply.

'_She's hiding something..._' Kadaj thought worriedly.

vVvVv

**Deliria's POV**

_I am _insane! _This is crazy! What the hell am I doing?! More importantly, _why _the heck am I doing this?... This is wrong this is wrong this is wrong. _This. Is. Wrong!

I'm torn between doing what I need to do, and the heavy choice of actually deceiving someone I love and care about. But it's not _totally _wrong, isn't it? I mean, just look at it this way. I'm doing this for everybody's own good. It's not like I'm carrying this out because of my evil motives or anything—although I _am _a part of somebody else's.

It's not fair! Why don't things go as planned? I _hate_ not thinking thoroughly of our plan when we decided to come here. I did nothing but put my family in danger. In turn, I can't believe I'd go as far as to lie to the love of my life and his brothers. Ugh! I should've known those scums would follow. We left discreetly but it wasn't enough. And now, I've gone so far as to give up my own freedom for others.

Don't I deserve to be happy? All my life, I've opened my eyes to pain and suffering and emotional turmoil. So why can't I get a vacation from all that stuff of some sort? It's just not fair. Sure, I found my best friend again, but he died. I fall in love with a gorgeous guy who used to be my enemy, and now I have to lie to him to get what's needed of me. I found my family I had so desperately yearned to meet since I was a child growing up in that orphanage, and now there's a death sentence looming above their heads if I make a wrong move. One of my closest friends had forsaken me because of some careless whim. I discover I'm a lab baby, and even have no idea what did they want from me.

I stop in my tracks once I catch sight of the sign board that says: 'Local's Pharmacy.' I'm here already? Sighing, I cautiously make my way inside, through the glass doors. I'm not in a hurry. What for anyway? The agenda I have isn't even exciting, or anything to be happy about for that matter. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but why are all these people staring at me.

Ducking my head, I continue wordlessly, pretending to search the aisles for anything interesting to buy. I'm gonna buy some gum and then the real item I need. Once I can't take those stares anymore, I hastily grab a chocolate bar—not a pack of gum—and dash towards the counter where all the medicines are found. _Am I sweating? But it's so cold. _Nevertheless, my pounding heart refuses to stop beating inside my hollowed chest.

"What can I do for ya, hon?" A smiling woman asks me. It's all I can make out of her face—a smiling human being.

"Um... do you have syringes?" I ask softly, almost hesitant. _What's wrong with me? _

"Of course... Let me get you one." She offers and I watch her disappear towards the back of store and later emerge with two syringes in hand.

She presents them to me, for examination I suppose. At first, I didn't understand as to why. I mean, they're all the same. Tubes with needles attached to break into the skin and betray your boyfriend. Wait, what? I get a closer look and all too soon notice the contrasts. _Me and my numb brain. _One syringe had a thick needle, and the other one was super thin. The bigger one would probably hurt more, since my plans are to be executed later tonight when we're asleep. Pain can wake him up.

Obviously, I choose the smaller syringe. I'm sure it's decent enough for Rufus. He has to be some intense mentally deranged psychopath to even want a bucket of Jenova cells. That would certainly require dispatching of the individual. I shudder. Even Hojo's not _that_ crazy—or is he? Ah, hell.

After picking out my instrument for betrayal, I casually step out onto the street and peel the wrapper off of the chocolate bar I had just bought. I slipped the syringe inside my coat pocket. I took a bite out of the dessert which did nothing for my extreme anxiety. I'm not worried that my plans for tonight will fail. I'm worried that it might succeed. _Why don't I just kill myself to get this over with? Shin-Ra would get their wish... NO! I shouldn't. If I kill myself that would mean the end of everyone's lives I care about. Isn't that the reason for all this hassle? _Why does this have to be so hard? Why can't _I _have problems like a normal teenage girl? Being emancipated is not that all fun anymore. It's facing the real world that adults inhibit. They're naturally equipped for all that, and I'm not.

Not even caring about what those people walking by would think, I know I'm on the verge of tears and I give up trying to be tough. I know my place. I know I'm not even near stable to deal with this, but I have too. And that's what makes it all the more painful. But it's never bad to cry and just let the emotions out. Slowly and aware, I can feel the delicate tears spilling from my eyes, tracking down my cheeks—a proof of my dilemma and my despair. Zack was right. The price of freedom is steep.

* * *

**A/N: If you ask me, this kind of lacks details... **


	47. Chapter 46: Betrayal

**Chapter 46: Betrayal**

**Normal POV**

"We leave tomorrow morning... We should get some rest."

Ria turned at the sound of his voice but stopped when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Kadaj was always like that—had the knack of surprising her out of nowhere. She had flinched, but Kadaj paid her reaction no heed. He subtly laid his chin on her right shoulder, and nuzzled her right cheek with his nose.

Kadaj whirled her around, and leaned in until his lips were a mere breath away from hers. For a moment, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. His lips touched hers with a feather-light brush, but...

"I'm sorry... I... I need some rest," Ria murmured, turning her head away.

Kadaj was quite surprised but decided to leave it is nonetheless. It was the first time she had openly refused a kiss from him. The strong feeling in his gut that told him she was hiding something big was strongly present, but he tried beating it down. He could just be paranoid, right? There were more than a thousand a reasons on why girls sometimes refused to kiss, and maybe stress and tiredness was one of them.

Sighing, he softly cupped her cheek with his hand and smiled lovingly at her just as she returned the gesture. Very subtly, he touched his lips to her forehead and whispered a good night. Once she left Kadaj alone on the balcony this time, she felt bad, almost nauseous as her steps to the bathroom became labored and counted. It was almost as if weights were attached to her ankles and she had to drag them noisily across the room, letting everyone know that she was an absolute traitor.

Ria zombied into the bathroom, and stopped when she caught sight of the mirror. Gazing at her own reflection, she could see a dark-haired girl who looked so worn out. The color of her eyes were so ominous in its shade, her skin was a deathly pale, and her cheeks almost sallow. She tore her eyes away from the mocking mirror that so blatantly presented her with an image of a traitorous young woman.

"Why am I doing this?" Ria asked herself yet again, reaching out and taking the syringe she had readied for later use. "He would never forgive me if he finds out... _Damn _Shin-Ra!" She cursed under her breath and jumped when she heard a loud knock. Him.

Swallowing the bile that had risen to her throat, and as well as her fear, she slid the object into a pseudo pocket in her modest attire. It would hardly be noticeable, but she hoped it was enough to... fool Kadaj.

Sluggishly, she opened the door and a strong but gentle hand had wrapped around her wrist and pulled her close. In normal circumstances, the look in his eyes, and the huskiness in his voice might have reduced her to a series of mindless babbling, but not now. Because every time she would catch a glimpse of his youthful and angelic face, she would be reminded of her unwanted task—of the task that required her to take advantage of every opportunity presented to her.

She couldn't even hear his words, and only took the time to notice that she was already on their bed, propped up against the head board, and he was staring at her curiously as he sat across her.

"You're worrying me... What's wrong?" He inquired gently, though he sounded kind of irritated, but that was understandable. She hadn't been talking lately.

"Nothing..." she shook her head, afraid to meet his eyes.

"I'm not gonna let it go on like this," he interjected harshly. "Something's wrong and it concerns me, now tell me what the hell that is!" He yelled though he didn't touch her.

Something told Ria he had something planned for tonight, but decided to go against it because she looked so dejected. Well, why shouldn't she. She shouldn't have any qualms with the idea, but she just hated what she was doing. Now that she thought about it, the huskiness in his voice actually meant something. And what had he been telling her? She really had to slap herself for not listening.

"I... I can't..." she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.

"What do you mean 'you can't'?" He inquired impatiently.

"I just can't okay?" She mumbled, the constricting feeling in her chest refusing to go away.

Kadaj sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose, and struggling for a hold on his fragile temper. It had gone on long enough. She had to tell him or things could get worse.

"I noticed you're reserved since the day we left your parents' house, and the night before. You came into the room with something bothering you." Kadaj explained, hoping to get his point across, and noticing how she refused to look him in the eye. "Look at me, and don't lie to me," he ordered, placing his fingers under her chin and tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

Ria found that she just couldn't. He would never trust her again if she did this. 'Don't lie to me...' His words had bewilderment strewn all over it. If she told him the truth, she was sure he would never let her have her way. He simply wouldn't understand that her family's life was at stake; he and his brothers were at stake if she didn't do this. Ria knew once Rufus found out she wouldn't go along with their agreement, he would mercilessly activate that damn bomb in her parents' house. And a worldwide manhunt would be issued to find them. What would Cloud and the others think?

"Look at me, Alexandria Clarion."

At the mention of her real name, he got her attention. She promptly raised her eyes to his and she regretted it instantly. Because she knew that once she would dare to look, she would be locked in that powerful gaze. Blue-violet meeting serpentine blue-green. Her breath caught in her throat as she could've sworn the syringe in her pocket was beginning to dig into her skin.

"Now tell me what's bothering you..." he whispered.

All she achieved however was the obnoxious trembling of her lips. Kadaj stared into her eyes that were brimming with unshed tears. There were so many emotions there. Pain, uncertainty, worry, sadness, and... regret? Her skin was deathly pale, and he could've sworn she looked sick. The look she was sporting and the feel of her delicate jaw on his hand only succeeded in reminding him that he was holding a very delicate and fragile being.

"I... I really c-can't tell you," she stammered, voice trembling but still unable to move her eyes away from him.

"Why not?" He asked.

She shook her head in protest, and he slowly leaned in to try and kiss her. But she pulled away again at the last minute, when his lips softly brushed hers. She turned her head to the side, fully aware that he would be able to gain full access to her thoughts once their lips would touch. Now though, Kadaj was undoubtedly certain that she was hiding something.

"You're keeping something from me. What is it?" He asked, his face merely a fraction of an inch away from hers.

She shuddered pleasantly as he spoke, his hot breath rushing over her face just as his intoxicating scent filled her nostrils. Her emotions were in turmoil when a thought suddenly struck her. Now was her chance. But could she do it? She had to... even if it hurt them both. She'd done this countless times before. If Agent Hollow could do it, then Alexandria Clarion would be able to. They were one person after all. Ignoring the aching feeling in her chest, she swallowed thickly and as smoothly as she could, she pressed a kiss to the side of his neck.

"Ria? What are you doing?" Kadaj whispered, an all too familiar heat washing over his body, making him shudder.

"Just let me do this," she murmured, her voice a ragged whisper as her left hand slowly caressed up and down his arm, sneakily trying to find an exposed vein.

Trying her best to be subtle, she flipped him onto the bed, her on top of him as she continued mouthing a kiss to his jaw. Her hand continued its trail, and if she was making him suspicious, he didn't show it. Surely a perceptive individual like him would be able to notice something was off, and she was right. Unbeknownst to her, he scowled, detecting uneasiness in her actions, like she was trying to get something from him, but what? Her heartbeat was abnormally fast. And as much as he hated to think about it, it was perfectly clear that she had an ulterior motive.

If she was doing this for innocent yet mischievous reasons, he would've responded by now, but he could taste that familiar sensation at the tip of his tongue. It couldn't have been anything else but fear.

"Do you know what you're doing?" He asked, and shuddered again—cursing the kind of effect she had on him—as she sighed into the skin at his neck.

"I hope so," she whispered almost inaudibly but he caught it nonetheless. Her answer had only confirmed his dark thoughts: that she was up to something.

At the moment she spoke her answer, she had managed to locate a vein where her syringe would undoubtedly plunge into. She slowly moved her kisses upwards, to the sensitive part that was his ear lobe. Not moving her thumb from the spot on his arm, she began to nibble on the exposed skin that would distract him. To her regrettable relief, he keened slightly. With slow but sure deliberation in her movements, she readied her apparatus in hand, hoping Kadaj wouldn't notice and throw her off. She slowly placed her lips against his, softly sucking his bottom lip.

She kissed him some more, listening to the sound of his signature soft purr that could only mean she was starting to fuel him. Squeezing her eyes closed, she wished for the thousandth time that this wasn't happening. She was betraying him even as she expressed her quiet love. She knew by now that most of her thoughts were merging with his. Confusion overwhelmed her, confirming that he would certainly resent her after this.

"I love you... I'm sorry." She murmured before kissing him once more, a tear sliding down her cheek.

She forcibly bit into his lip, causing an amount of blood to spill and wasn't the least bit surprised when Kadaj yelped loudly, and she took the chance to plunge the needle into his skin and unto the vein, successfully acquiring the Jenova cells that flowed in his bloodstream... but not without a price.

Kadaj's eyes flew open at the near blinding pain that shot through his veins when she bit him, and another kind of sensation that told him something was under his skin. He managed to lift his head and glimpse his arm where her hands were attached to, just as her mouth was about to make a second bite. What was she doing plunging a needle into his body?

He pushed her off none too gently, and he felt the needle slide out. She was quick enough to sit upright and so did he. He had no words to express his thoughts at what he just witnessed upon receiving a kiss from her. Her thoughts, her plans, the previous events that hadn't been known to him had flooded his brain, and all he could do was glower at her.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, pocketing the syringe that was now filled with his blood.

"That's all you have to say?" He asked and it unnerved her to hear the calmness in his voice. He dragged the back of his wrist roughly against his mouth, scowling as he did.

She dared a look at his face and she regretted it instantly. It was a mask devoid of any emotion. She knew how he felt, from that moment their lips made contact and their thoughts exchanged. She knew how confused and angry he was upon realizing her plans. She knew from that moment on how betrayed he began to feel.

"I shouldn't have..." he trailed off, but she already knew what he meant. He shouldn't have trusted her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, in a tortured voice as she got off of the bed.

"Go."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, picking up her knapsack near the bedside table, face stained with tears that seemed to impossible to stop.

"I never want to see you again..." Kadaj said as he sat cross legged on the middle of the bed, looking at her with cold blue-green eyes, all of the tenderness in them was lost, replaced by that fear-inducing look he always wore, and could only come from a cold-blooded killer that had captured her months ago.

"I hoped you would understand," she muttered, voice choked with tears. "It's the only way."

"You could've told me... but you decided not to. Do things your way, then. I won't care anymore," he growled, eyes filled with defiant rage.

"You'll understand someday," she said, backpack hoisted over her shoulder.

"I think I understand fine," he stood up, and advanced on her, his eyes distant and cold. "Traitor... You got what you wanted. Get out before I find the need to remove you myself!" He glowered at her form that was visibly shaking.

She was about to say something, but he promptly cut her off with the most hurtful exclamation that could make a girl crumble.

"I HATE you!" He growled; a hand around her neck in an instant as he slammed her to the wall.

Ria stared into his eyes that were filled with rage and resentment. He was probably wishing he hadn't met her. And just looking at him now, she knew he would be able to kill her then and there if the thought came to his mind.

"If you... open your mind... and... try to understand," she wheezed out, and his grip loosened a little. "...you would know I'm not doing this because I'm selfish!" She yelled at him, ignoring his instant impulse when he reached for his sword. "I didn't want this, okay?!" She shouted at him, hurt and absolutely loathing herself as tears continued to mar her face.

She slapped him and he froze at the blow. She took the chance to push him away forcibly and with one last look at the boy she still loved, she opened the door and slammed it closed as she made her way out. There was no need to stay anymore and grovel, because it was useless. He wouldn't listen to her and she understood. She couldn't deny the fact that indeed it hurt. She hurt him, and planted a double dose of it on herself. He was blinded by anger and resentment and hatred. There was nothing she could do. She knew it was her fault, and it wouldn't change anything. But she didn't regret telling him those words either. She would do this for her family, and for him.

Hastily, she left the building and hailed a cab to take her to the nearest airport. The streets of Junon seemed to just fly by in one headache inducing haze. She was still sobbing quietly and was glad that the cab driver decided not to pry—normally other people were so nosy. This very night, she would be on her way to Midgar, where her tortured future awaited, and she was leaving Junon, where she met her family and confessed to one very confused and enraged Remnant about her love.

vVvVv

**Kadaj's POV**

Can you believe that?! When was I ever in my right mind to actually trust her? Why did I believe her in the first place? 'I love you', her ass! She doesn't love me at all! I am so sick and tired of being lied to. First, my family, and then Jenova, now her?!

_Stupid piece of furniture_. If you want to know what happened to the room, I'll tell you. The four-post bed's reduced to splinters. The mattress is now on the floor, complete with shredded pillows and sheets. The kitchenette is littered with broken and shattered china—much like how I feel. Good news is, even the television wasn't saved from my wrath. I think you'd be miserable to know that the once perfectly working appliance is now reduced to spark-emitting wires, broken glass, and bent and charred compartments. The table wasn't spared either, even the chairs. Long story, short, the room's horribly wrecked.

I don't think I have to explain why I went on such a rampage. If you don't get my point, then you deserve to die. I'd like to see you try falling in love with a girl whom you thought you could trust, and then you tell her every secret—even the darkest deepest ones which you could never afford to tell your own brothers, and then you find yourself kissing her, needing her, wanting her, caring for her. I'd like to see you try and go through one hell of a roller coaster ride that's called my life. I'd been through so much hell, and then I find her and get a momentary experience of peace and love that turns out to be false, because, surprise, she only reveals herself to be a damn traitor.

'You'll understand someday', no thanks! I understand perfectly fine. This whole bulls*** just taught me an important lesson. I can never trust anyone ever again. I dared to 'love', and this is what I get in return. What good form of repayment! You know, I'll never understand how this Gaia forsaken planet defines justice. I'm starting to think I don't care about it.

You ask where she is now? She's on her way to perish in a rotten laboratory owned by the very same company that's turned me into a freak of nature everyone fears. Not that it's a bad thing. It's actually pretty nice and works to my advantage. People just get a good look at you and then they start cowering or running for cover or screaming for their mommy.

I HATE THIS PLANET! I HATE SHIN-RA! I HATE SEPHIROTH! I HATE JENOVA! I HATE THE TURKS! I HATE THAT AGENT! I HATE HER! I HATE HOW SHE MAKES ME FEEL!

I hate how much I love her; how much I know that I need her.

"_You're not an accident..."_

"_So don't ever think you're unwanted. I want you..."_

I don't even want to try anymore. So I cry...

* * *

**A/N: Crappy love-hate scene. And I've had the knack to return to Kadaj's POV**


	48. Chapter 47: Stories

**A/N: Day 15 comes from the fact that Ria has been in Shin-Ra's new facility for two weeks. And she's being treated like a lab rat, with fewer memories rising to the surface. And even if this story's coming to an end pretty soon, I still have the joys of introducing another OC.**

* * *

**Chapter 47: Stories**

**Normal POV**

DAY 15

The room was eerily devoid of human activity. The air conditioner made weird whirring sounds as it steadily manipulated the air around her. Ria lay still on her so-called bed in her so-called room. Truthfully, it looked more like a prison cell. The walls were a blinding white. There were no windows, just an automatic sliding glass door that was sound proof and unbreakable, and the room had sparse furniture; just a hospital bed, a white dresser, and an air conditioner. She had a private bathroom, but even _that_ wasn't luxurious.

It had been two weeks since she arrived here. And there was nothing to look forward to except daily torture. Her first two days seemed fine although she had physical examinations in the morning and the evening. They served her balanced meals three times a day—no more, no less. They had her arranged for a daily appointment with a psychologist. On the third day, however, things became different. They still gave her balanced meals, and after that, an appointment with the shrink, but then what followed was certainly not to her liking. She despised it, in fact.

They hooked her to a machine which—according to the Shin-Ra scientists—provided her an overdose of nutrients that would keep her healthy and make her ready for any 'emergency' operations. Two needles had been inserted into each vein at her hand, and brain transmitters were stuck to her temples and around her head to keep her brain active—so they said. Each moment spent in that time of nothingness didn't do her any good—in her opinion. She would be hooked there for eleven hours; unconscious, and devoid of feeling.

She would be released from the machine at six in the evening, made to eat, hustled into another physical exam, and would be put to sleep by a harmless tranquilizer at eight. When she questioned one of the scientists with regards of what they were doing to her, one of them simply told her that it was important to keep her in top condition and that's why they strictly maintain her regular schedules. She wasn't allowed in any form of visual entertainment via television or anything to do with computers. They didn't exactly want radiation to do a number on her and at her seventh day in the labs, she was sober, easily controlled, and perfectly well-behaved.

To Ria, there was a reason why she was acting like the scientists had exclaimed. She wasn't exactly well-off. And she was sober, easily controlled, and well-behaved because her daily trips with that inhumane machine always left her emotionally drained, numb, and feeling like a robot. It always felt like they were programming her. She had experienced better in her former days as an Agent working for the president. Never in a million years did she expect this kind of treatment as their 'experiment'—though when it came to Shin-Ra, she should've known.

In her eighth day in the labs, her daily dates with the 'inhumane machine' had reduced to five hours a day, thank Gaia. Even though that sort of thing was implemented, she didn't feel any better. She was constantly tested on, and her operations were getting more and more frequent. She was made to take a daily dose of pills after every meal so she wouldn't feel as sick, but as per usual, she was always feeling otherwise. The vicious cycle of her daily experimentation just went on, and each passing day almost felt like a year.

Now, as she lay on her bed after a very recent operation, she just felt numb, and it left her desperately wishing to just die. For one, she didn't even know why they were doing all these things to her. She didn't have a clue as to what her purpose was, but she'd been hearing things of an almost completed clone—though the scientists working there were in a different department. She didn't really pay attention to any of their conversations since she rarely felt like exploring, because she wasn't even allowed to do so. She often thought back to the last time she'd been in the outside world. She had been on her way here. On her first days of confinement—and before that damned machine succeeded in making most of her memories fuzzy—she mostly thought of her family, of Trevor, of Cloud and the gang, and unfortunately, Kadaj never ceased to cross her mind.

She would always wonder what he was up to nowadays, but those thoughts only lasted until her fifth day at the lab. Her constant dallying with the stabilizing machines always left her brain with fuzzy memories, and overtime, just blank. It still functioned properly, and she was still capable of logical reasoning, but memories of her early life were gradually fading into the back of her mind where they would be of no use to her.

With each day that passed, she felt more and more like a caged animal, and she really labeled herself as an experiment since they were officially treating her like one. No one abused her, and that was fine, but no one really cared about how she felt either—even that damned psychologist was as helpful as a rock. She constantly imagined herself as a hamster living in a cage, going along with whatever her keepers had to offer. She really had no freedom anymore.

It was at this moment that the doors to her cell opened and in walked a female scientist. The woman simply stared at the teenage girl curled up on her bed with nothing to do and probably no memories to fall back on. For some reason, she felt sorry for her. She couldn't exactly tell or relate to what the girl was going through, but she knew how painful and sick it must be. Even _she_ resented her job in this company as a scientist.

"How are you feeling, Alexandria?" The woman asked gently, taking a seat on the edge of the girl's bed.

Ria didn't answer though she was surprised the woman even knew her real name since most of them called her Specimen no. 582. She hated a number of scientists working for Shin-Ra, but this stranger of a woman wasn't exactly one of them. If she remembered correctly, this woman was in charge of her daily meals and physical examination and she was nothing but gentle and nice to her. So yeah, she really didn't despise her. She just didn't know how to feel about it. And what was this woman doing visiting her during her resting hours after an operation?

"I'm sorry..." The woman whispered. "I really shouldn't be here, right? But I've seen how lonely you are lately, and I'm sure that your psychologist isn't exactly friendly."

Well, that was true. That shrink was so professional she could hardly express her feelings, and so she usually didn't. She mostly lied about feeling well, when in reality, she was feeling otherwise.

"I just figured you needed someone to talk to, so I'm leaving this here..." The woman exclaimed and Ria dejectedly stared as the scientist placed a communicating device on her dresser. The brunette's eyes slowly traveled upwards to see the woman's smiling face. "I know you're not permitted to anything that emits radiation, but a pager really won't do you any harm. You can always talk to me, okay?"

The woman stood up, smiled, and made her way for the door. At this time, Ria, knew she should at least say something. Clearing her throat silently, she slowly pushed herself up.

"Wait... What's your name?" She asked; her voice weak and ragged from being silent for two long weeks.

The woman smiled, turned back to her. "My name's Cornelia..."

Ria managed a small smile acknowledging the fact that this woman was really willing to be a friend in need right now. "Thank you, Cornelia..."

Cornelia nodded once and minutes later, Ria found herself alone in silence once more.

vVvVv

"I'm hungry!"

Kadaj growled upon hearing another whine from Loz. Well sure, they hadn't eaten since yesterday, but what was the big deal. They had water, and they weren't going to die.

"Shut up! It's only been a day without a meal. You won't die _that _easily," the youngest Remnant chastised.

Loz pouted, crossing his arms in front of his chest and slumping against the wall of their latest hideout.

It had been two weeks of too much free time, and the Remnants have been doing nothing except train and occasionally went out for shopping trips to restock the fridge. They stayed in a little village near the Forgotten City, and mostly stayed indoors and usually went out at night. Kadaj hated the fact that they were living like damned fugitives, but both his brothers had insisted on keeping a low profile, and in spite of the strong urge that told the Remnant leader to rebuke his brothers' suggestions, he knew they were right.

They had left Junon the morning after _that girl_ disappeared to who knows where, and Kadaj was more than comfortable that she rarely crossed his mind nowadays. She didn't care about him, so why should he start thinking of her all of a sudden. Loz had brought her up once or twice but Kadaj had always snarled at him to drop the subject. Yazoo, the perceptive brother that he was, kept silent but knew that something was up. Kadaj was more grumpy and temperamental than before, and Yazoo couldn't stop himself from wondering why Ria left all of a sudden. He had asked Kadaj about it once, since he and the girl had practically been in a steady relationship, but his younger brother just snorted and didn't answer him.

"Where's Yazoo?" Loz asked all of a sudden, his talkativeness starting to get under the Remnant leader's fragile temper.

"I don't know, Loz. I would've told you to shut you up if I knew," Kadaj huffed impatiently, uncrossing his legs that were propped up on the dining table and setting his feet firmly back on the floor as he stood up.

"Meanie..." Loz muttered.

Kadaj heard him of course, but left him alone, and just went to the room he had claimed as his.

vVvVv

DAY 18

She stared ahead, letting the monochromic colors of the walls lull her ever closer to much needed slumber. She was still moving—almost for eternity but only for a couple of minutes. How long does it take to wheel an experiment back to her quarters? Ria could've shouted at the woman assisting her with a wheelchair.

After what seemed like ten minutes, the woman had brought her back to her resting quarters. Slowly, she helped the brunette to get on her feet and laid the exhausted girl on her bed.

"Now, you get plenty of rest. You have a long of day of physical trial tomorrow... We recommend a ten hours sleep. Pleasant dreams."

The woman left, leaving Ria deranged as she stared at the ceiling. Sure, she was exhausted, but how the hell was she supposed to sleep when she was in awful pain. Her head was pounding, and now she just wished there was a medical cabinet in her damned room. And what did they mean by 'physical trial'? She really had no idea what they were doing to her. She just let them. This was part of the damn deal she had agreed on with Rufus. She couldn't escape even if she wanted to.

For some unknown reason, her eyes wandered to the pager sitting on the bedside table.

"_I know you're not permitted to anything that emits radiation, but a pager really won't do you any harm. You can always talk to me, okay?"_

Should she? Biting her lip, she slowly managed to sit up—although with much difficulty—and reach for the only communicating device she had been permitted to take possession of. With trembling fingers, she slowly located the only number saved , and dialed without hesitation.

vVvVv

Cornelia had been stagnant for the whole day since her superiors had decided that today, Specimen no. 582 would be undergoing a whole day operation. For some reason, that scared her, since one, she knew of Alexandria's condition better than anyone. The girl was evidently in a lot of physical pain lately and she didn't even know of the emotional conditions. Two, with her recent conversation with the girl—three days ago, she really didn't look too well, and three, the stabilizing machine they constantly hooked on her—to boost her immune system and incubation capabilities—only left her drained and—Cornelia was sure—occupied with fuzzy memories.

Truth be told, she really didn't understand the importance of the cloned Sephiroth needing a breeding partner. It was clear that Alexandria could've been stronger if that little incident of mercy years ago hadn't taken place, but Cornelia seriously doubted that Alexandria would even live long enough if she'd been involved in this kind of experiment for years. And Sephiroth's whole pyromaniac incident in Nibelheim already proved that if she hadn't taken Specimen no. 582 to a safe place, she'd doubt that Sephiroth would've spared the girl's life.

She really didn't understand why Rufus wanted Alexandria's child development capabilities to be at maximum. Absentmindedly, Cornelia dug through a stack of papers located in Alexandria's case folder. Finding what she had been searching for, she pulled it out and reviewed:

_Name: Alexandria P. Clarion_

_Current age: 17 years old_

_(Assuring to know that she would have an active reproductive system)_

_Objectives and Procedures: _

_By the end of the experiment, her uterus should be able to house at least 3-5 fertilized eggs. (Eggs would be fertilized by means of artificial insemination.) Her immune system must be stabilized and all bodily functions must be breached to maximum to achieve dire results. Specimen no. 005-022-582 must undergo several body system enhancement operations and must be kept in good health. It is necessary that she be physically, mentally, and emotionally stable so as to sustain multiple births in one year. (Target: 3-5 babies every two months) _

_Specimen no. 582 must be injected with a healthy amount of Jenova cells acquired from one of Sephiroth's remnants (preferably from the one known as the dread SOLDIER's vessel). Subject must be constantly exposed to Mako in the years ahead, and must avoid exposure to any kind of not recommended radiation in the early years of experimentation. _

_Subject's brain is desired to work marvelously and without fail. By the middle of the experimentation period, she should be immune to all kinds of physical pain (a well-planned and whole day operation would be needed and she should be subject to observation and physical trial by a number of weeks). Emotions of the subject must be kept to a minimum. No over joy or extreme amount of emotional heaviness should be present. She must be programmed to outstandingly control her urges and her emotions, and must always keep in mind the well-being of her growing children. _

_Side-effects in the early years of experimentation may possibly include migraines, fever, physical weakness, physical pain, depression, deliriousness, and difficult recollection. (Side-effects result from constant experimentation and the reaction of the body systems to it along with a teenager's growing hormones.) Nevertheless, it is rest assured that these side-effects are temporary and may disappear by the time the specimen reaches the middle of adulthood. _

_Specimen no. 582's offspring shall be trained, observed, and studied as they grow and are expected to acquire relative traits—both dominant and recessive—from both parents. They will be known as a new breed of SOLDIER and may need breeding partners of their own._

_Period of experimentation: 10-13 years _

Cornelia sighed upon finished reading the reports given to each of them weeks ago, informing them of a new assignment and a new project. It was at this moment of course that her communicating device began blinking. There was only one person she gave her pager to. The female scientist smiled and stood up; replacing the report back on its folder and immediately went for the door. Looks like Alexandria needs someone to talk to.

vVvVv

"I hope you're not busy," Ria spoke in her raspy voice, watching the woman settle on the edge of her bed.

"Don't worry, dear. I wasn't. So I trust you invited me over to talk?" Cornelia asked, smiling.

Ria kept her mouth shut for a while and brought her knees to her chest and kept her back against the wall as she stared at her plain white bed covers. It was clear that she had a lot of questions; one of which included why she was being treated like this and the lost memories of her lab baby days.

"How long have you been working for them?" Ria asked.

"Seventeen years, if I'm correct. Started as an intern for Professor Hojo when I was only nineteen," the woman mused.

And something about her answer had Ria interested. She had been working for Shin-Ra for seventeen years.

"Do you, by any chance, know of the missing lab baby?" The former Agent inquired carefully.

Cornelia nodded once, face set in a grim expression, the atmosphere instantly becoming serious. She was glad that Alexandria had wanted to talk because there was something extremely important that this girl had to know.

"That was you, wasn't it?" The woman answered with a question.

Ria nodded. "What happened to me?"

It was at this cue that Cornelia decided to launch into her tale: "You were merely a newborn when you were brought here. I... I saw your parents and your mother was in tears. You had a weak heart and your state of health had been surrendered to Hojo since he was really the only one who could help."

"My parents told me about that. They said I was supposed to... stay in the lab for a week, so they waited. After the supposed deadline, they didn't get a phone call, and when they came here, you told them I died." Ria trailed off, her voice on the verge of breaking. "What have you been people doing to me?!" She nearly screamed, but her throat ached so bad that she only managed a loud voice.

"I know how you must feel, considering the lie the president had told your parents. Hojo was behind it. He... He found something in your bloodstream that deemed you a 'fine test subject' as he would put it." Cornelia explained, placing Ria in shocked silence. "He found some sort of compatibility between yours and Sephiroth's cells. Even _I _found it impossible to believe seeing as you were in no way related to him. I was only an intern back then, taking a degree in Science, and I knew everything about relationships between chromosomes of family members and every possible rule in genetics stating the impossibility of your condition. I... I didn't know what to think. Hojo never explained. He just showed me proof." Cornelia sighed upon catching Ria's shocked face.

"But was it true?" Ria asked in a soft voice.

"Very... true. He found that out in the middle of the week of curing you. We managed to stabilize your heart's condition. Hojo had injected you with a minute amount of Jenova's cells that were acquired from Jenova herself. Some of the Turks had to make the trip to Nibelheim for that." Cornelia smiled. "When you were fully healed, Hojo had insisted that he wanted to keep you. Unfortunately, the president agreed. Sephiroth was but a teenage boy back then, and Hojo wanted more research done with regards to you and that SOLDIER in training. After the lie had been given to your parents, all sorts of research and minimum testing followed..."

"Minimum testing?" Ria asked, fists clenching into a tight knot.

Cornelia sighed, knowing that this wasn't exactly going to be easy. "Yes... He often meddled with Sephiroth and you. He performed blood tests again and again. He got some Jenova cells from Sephiroth's blood stream and tried it on you, but your body had rejected it, resulting into your physical appearances now. He even performed a very dangerous experiment by trying to establish a mental connection between you and Sephiroth. We have no idea if it worked though..."

Ria nodded once at that explanation, remembering the investigation she had done before—the papers she found resting in her Agent's bio data.

"He mulled over for days and why. He never really figured it out. My theory was that the pure Jenova cells that had been injected in you had made a backfired attempt to receive more. Perhaps it has made your small immune system 'content' back then. It rejected it. I don't know why it reacted to changing your physical appearance. Hojo was frustrated about that fact and considered exposing you to strong radiation that gave a fifty percent chance of your survival. He was a bit insane, even then... I just... I couldn't let that happen. When you weren't being tested on, I... I took care of you. I couldn't let you die, and supposed we owed it to your parents after lying to them, so I snuck you out in the middle of the night during my day off."

Now _that_ was an almost unbelievable explanation. This woman, Cornelia, was the one who brought her to the orphanage? Well, she didn't mention about that yet, but it was already plain as day. Ria blinked a couple of times, the shock making it impossible for her to form words.

"I took you to an orphanage, giving you the name Deliria Jorgen Hollow." Cornelia finished.

"Why didn't you take me to my parents?" Ria asked. She should've been angry, but she wasn't and that confused her a bit. Instead, she felt utterly grateful to this woman.

"I couldn't. Starks had a record and I didn't want to take chances of Shin-Ra finding out. I returned to work the following week, pretending that I was innocent. Hojo was evidently grumpy and I knew the reason why..."

"You...You saved me," Ria mused, a ragged whisper.

"No... I didn't." Cornelia denied, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Yes you did. If you hadn't..." Ria trailed off, shaking her head a little and regretting the action since it only resulted in having another throbbing in her head. "Thank you..." Ria whispered.

And before anyone of them could utter a single word, the woman gathered the teenage girl in her arms, holding her gently—like a mother would do to a child. It didn't take long before she felt the girl's shoulders were shaking and realized that she was crying. Perhaps it was just the exhaustion of the whole-day operation and the side-effects, but it was okay to cry after all.

This girl had a lot more pain ahead of her—literally, and honestly, Cornelia didn't like it one bit. She didn't really understand why they were doing this. That was why she always refused to be put into the experimenting department. She'd rather be a personal doctor or a psychologist. This girl she held in her arms was one among many others in the past who were tortured, and stuck in containment cells just like animals; all in the name of science. That always had been the disgusting and disgraceful side of her job.

And frankly, she had no idea when they would ever learn.


	49. Chapter 48: Capture

**A/N: After such a long time, Cloud finally makes a formal appearance-much different from those quick glimpses of him in fight scenes in the previous chapters. This time around, he's actually going to be involved and things are heating up.  
Words of warning to those of you who detest violence and feel uncomfortable reading it. There's a part here that contains graphic violence, so if you're one of those pre-mentioned people, I suggest you skip the part with the basement. **

* * *

**Chapter 48: Capture**

**Normal POV**

DAY 19

It was really common knowledge that Cloud never answered his phone, but this time around, Rufus was really hoping the young man would have the sense to answer his phone call. For once, couldn't a miracle happen? It kept ringing on the other line and still no answer. Sure enough, another one of his calls was sent straight to Cloud's voice mail.

Rufus sighed. Why was he being so difficult? Ending the call, he quickly dialed the landline number for Seventh Heaven. The line still kept ringing, and the only difference was that, this time, someone actually picked up.

"_Hello, Strife Delivery Service. You name it, we deliver._" Tifa Lockhart. Of course.

"Ah, Tifa. Greetings. Is Cloud in?"

"_May I ask whose calling?_"

"It's Rufus Shin-Ra... I was wondering if Cloud were around, I've been meaning to speak to him." He stated his purpose, randomly doodling on a blank sheet of paper.

"_Okay... Hold on._"

vVvVv

"Cloud!" Tifa called as she descended the staircase straight from the blonde's study. "Someone's on the phone for you." She said, seeing him sitting on the dining table, an untouched sandwich on a plate.

"Who is it?" Cloud asked nonchalantly.

"It's Shin-Ra. I thought you wanted to talk to him." Tifa reasoned when Cloud gave her a dry look.

"Tell him I'm not here..." He said, and then turned back to his uneventful staring at his food—as if he expected the piled wheat bread to actually move into his mouth.

Tifa folded her arms across her chest. "Cloud," she sighed heavily. "He already knows you're here. You might as well just talk to him. He's waiting on the phone upstairs."

Cloud snorted. He was _not_ in the mood to discuss Rufus's Remnant search developments. Jenova had been handed over to Shin-Ra to be disposed of, and Cloud trusted that they had done their part of the job, and knew that even if the Remnants were still scurrying about, they were undoubtedly forced into hiding. So why did Rufus suddenly call him out of the blue? Very unlikely that he just called to chat.

"Cloud," Tifa grumbled, still waiting for him to stand up.

Without another word, Cloud sighed, stood up, and trudged his way upstairs; fully intending that Rufus suffer long waiting hours as much as Tifa had forced a heavy burden on his shoulders to actually talk to the president.

vVvVv

"It's me..." Cloud remarked gruffly, not in the mood for polite talk.

"_Cloud... I think you'd be pleased to know we have interesting developments going on."_

"And those would be?" Cloud reached for a chair and sat back.

"_We have found the Remnants' locations and I was wondering if we could ask for your assistance in capturing them. One of my Turks had reported that they're staying in Bone Village... not very far from their former base."_

That statement had the blonde thinking. Was it really worth it? To put an end to the remnants of Sephiroth had been his initial goal since the brothers had first attacked him out in the plains. Strangely though, after finding out Ria's treachery and the Remnants' escape, Cloud hadn't cared about them ever since they found Jenova's remains and handed it over to Shin-Ra. Rufus never told him that she had been destroyed, but Cloud was counting on it, and he already went as far as to trusting the company that had once been their enemy.

What was he thinking? Of course it was worth it...

"Capturing them? Why not just dispose of them?" Cloud suggested flatly.

Rufus sighed on the other line. _"Cloud, I have a proposal for you... And if you're willing, you could be a part of it."_

"What proposal? And capturing the Remnants mean you want them breathing. Why do you want them alive?" The blonde approached the statement slowly, his voice already being stained with slight agitation.

"_My company and I resolved to help rebuild our world. And I have found a wonderful use for those Remnants. Those two, well, they'll be easy to use, and not much after that, we'll dispose of them, but Kadaj... he can be a vital instrument to our well thought-of plan." _Rufus remarked slyly.

Okay, _now _Cloud was suspicious. "What are you going on about?"

"_It may not sound reasonable at first, but just hear me out, and I think you'll be able to understand."_ There was a long pause. And then: _"Sephiroth _will _come back..."_

"What?!" Cloud nearly shouted, getting to his feet on instinct upon hearing the Nightmare's name pass through Rufus' lips. "You're _not _serious!" He snarled through gritted teeth.

"_Cloud! Hear me out! There's a logical explanation," _Rufus chided, but...

"I guess you really have lost your sanity. Bringing him back can only happen in Kadaj's wildest dreams. Why would you want someone like him back? What about all those children infected with the stigma?" Cloud could've broken the phone in his grip.

"_It may sound crazy, yes, but I've found a way to make him of great use to us. Because this Sephiroth will now be under my control. He is not the original, but a mere replica that is designed to copy the attributes of the original. His authenticity is still in question, and I would need Kadaj's whole being to complete him,_" Rufus explained almost exuberantly.

"It's still too dangerous! How could you go as far as to put the people's lives in jeopardy again? You and I know it's never easy if he exists!" Cloud interjected, seeing Rufus' point but clearly detecting a defective flaw that could result to another catastrophe.

"_You don't understand... Give this a chance, Cloud. It could be our only way to fully restore the planet. The original can never come back now. Jenova is already gone..." _Rufus tried to reason, but there was really no stopping Cloud.

"How long until he's completed?" The blonde asked blatantly.

"_Probably a week or so if I get the Remnants now. My scientists are working on him in our new building_," Rufus answered, ignoring Cloud's rudeness.

"This'd better work. I'm putting it into probation. If it's not working out, I'll dismantle your newly formed clone bit by bit, and no one will stop me. I won't let the planet get in contact with danger again."

Cloud spoke with such determination that it was even enough to send shivers running down Rufus' spine to hear the dangerous note in the ex-SOLDIER's voice—even if it was through the phone. He hadn't much to say and was about to ask Cloud something when the line suddenly went dead. And just like that, their conversation made an abrupt ending.

vVvVv

Rufus sat in his office chair, quite agitated and uneasy. He had to do this quick so the Remnants could be submitted to experimentation and it would be all over; his genius plan would be complete. The reports about Ria's stabilized health improvement was very uplifting and Rufus knew he wanted this done faster. If anyone else knew the cure to the stigma, Kadaj would, and he just needed to transmit the Remnant's thoughts into the replica and the whole thing would be kicked into action.

All of a sudden, his phone rang. He picked it up to find out that it was Reno.

"_Sir, one of them just got home. Kadaj and Loz are already inside the house. Should we strike now?_" Reno inquired.

Rufus sighed. "Strike them at will and be quick enough that they don't have the chance to slay anyone of you."

"_Yes sir!_"

Rufus hung up, and closed his eyes as he reclined against the chair. His Turks better do this correctly before Cloud should decide to stop them in their plans.

vVvVv

Kadaj had gone upstairs to his room and flopped down face first on his mattress. Another day had gone by without doing anything. It was near two in the afternoon already and things weren't looking very good. Yazoo had just returned with a bag of food, and Loz must still be sitting on one of the couches. This dead town was about as useful as being useless. Kadaj sighed at his train of thought. Shin-Ra was still after them. Why couldn't that damned company just leave them alone?

The sound of the front door being banged open got Kadaj to his feet. Slowly, he opened the door overlooking the upstairs hall and crept outside, hiding in a corner. The view was barely visible and he slowly took out his sword, using the blades as a mirror to see what was going on. Shin-Ra soldiers. He should've known, and idly wondered if they'd seen Loz yet.

Disappearing in a cloud of black mist, Kadaj went down the stairs silently, smirking with slight amusement as some of the soldiers' stance wavered at the change of atmosphere. His mist form had always sent ominous messages to intruders... and he loved it.

Three soldiers in black uniforms carrying guns were in the dining room, and Loz wasn't there. Neither was Yazoo. They weren't in their room because surely, they would have heard the commotion and might have gone out too.

Kadaj decided to check the basement, and knew without a doubt that Shin-Ra could be down there as well. Once again, the change in the air was evident, a few soldiers shifted about, eyes darting.

"You feel that?" One of them asked the other.

"Yeah... It sure is colder in here." The second one replied, hesitantly kicking over a tower of boxes.

"I don't like it. Have you checked everything?" The first one asked, glancing behind his back occasionally.

"Not yet. We're not supposed to leave our post remember?"

At this moment, Kadaj spotted a flash of silver behind one of closets situated in a dark corner of the room. It really was a good thing that the lights here were crappy. The basement was cramped with certain objects, but none of them hindered Kadaj as he made his quiet way to Yazoo who had Velvet Nightmare cocked and ready to take down the two men if they ever neared him. Yazoo felt it too; a cold but familiar chill in the air that practically screamed 'Kadaj'... And when the coolness had gotten stronger almost as if it was next to him, Yazoo now knew without a doubt that this was his little brother.

"Kadaj..." he whispered in a very very low voice.

The Remnant leader materialized from air, hidden perfectly next to him. "Where's Loz?" The younger asked.

"Somewhere outside, I think..."

They were forced to shut up when the two soldiers came nearer toward them. Kadaj and Yazoo shared a look that said Kadaj would be the one to take this kill. They just couldn't afford being discovered because of Velvet Nightmare...yet. They both waited and when he was near enough, Yazoo grabbed the first soldier and covered his mouth, keeping a firm arm around the man's chest and pressing hard, cutting off his ability to breathe, and the second one was already headless, blood spilling from the base of his neck as his fallen body made its unhappy grave among the dust bunnies on the floor.

Yazoo loosened his hold on the man when Kadaj came and was quick enough to slit the soldier's throat, effectively shutting him up. The brothers then hastily exited the basement and slowly peeked around the area, seeing more soldiers than before had entered their little haven.

"Loz?" Yazoo spoke lowly, seeing the man creeping through the back door.

And it all happened in a blur. Loz had attacked one of them and so triggered a loud open fire that riddled the kitchen full of bullet holes. Yazoo and Kadaj joined in the fight, the youngest dismantling a band of soldiers at his descent. Yazoo, firing an ominous round of bullets that killed almost all of the soldiers situated in the dining room, but more kept coming.

They fought as best as they could, but alas, even in perfect condition, everyone had a certain flaw. Yazoo hadn't seen it coming and was painfully reeling back when he made contact with an electric rod's crackling shaft. It hurt like hell nonetheless, and it proved to be much distraction for a certain Shin-Ra soldier to hit him hard across the head. Yazoo managed to strike back—snapping the man's neck, and watching as he fell to the floor, robbed of his life.

Unbeknownst to the long-haired Remnant that a drug-induced dart had embedded itself into the back of his neck already, and it proved to be his subtle downfall. Yazoo still had time to flinch and slap the area where he had been shot before another dart had found its way to him and he was out on the floor.

Loz had seen what happened and made his way to his fallen brother, but that proved to be all he could do before he himself was taken down just as easily, for he went by instinct and failed to consider strategy. Kadaj, however, had held up longer compared to his two brothers. Soldiers rushed at him and he slashed his sword through the air with quick accuracy, killing every soldier within distance of his dual-bladed sword. Men from all sides kept him busy, and he easily went by instinct instead of wits. Bullets rained and a number of them managed to graze his arm. Kadaj hissed at the contact, slashing his sword in a clean arch across the air, beheading the shooter, but more came and he tried in vain to escape.

Kadaj leaped into the dining table and was toppled down by a three soldiers, sending the Remnant harshly to the floor, and he rolled away just in time, narrowly missing an electric rod from taking a shot at his head.

"Hey! They want him alive!" One of the men yelled.

"I wasn't gonna kill him!" The second one yelled back.

The Remnant didn't pay attention, but ran across the room towards the living room and for the first time, noticed his brothers' absence. Where were they? Distracted, he didn't have time to dodge and a solid punch was dealt to the back of his head. Quick as lightning, he aimed to kill the man, but his minor injury became a stumbling block to his goal, and it proved to be enough for the soldier to brutally stab him with the syringe that would no doubt put him to unconsciousness.


	50. Chapter 49: Torment

**A/N: The Remnants had been captured. You know that already if you've read the previous chapter. And this is the part where Kadaj's annoying other-self makes his presence known by bothering him in the midst of a delicate situation. And Ria is being experimented on hazardously. She is under mental and physical torment. And by mental torment, I mean the sound of microphones when they give feed backs, now imagine that sound being magnified a hundred times worse.**

* * *

**Chapter 49: Torment**

(3 Days Later) DAY 22

**Kadaj's POV**

_They want me alive. Yazoo and Loz are gone. A b*****d punched my head. And... And... What the hell happened next? Wait... Where am I?_

I can hear voices; muffled, like they're in a container of some sort. Gaia damn it, my head hurts! Groaning, I shift about, open my eyes, and... What are the chains for? Blinking despite the blurriness of my surroundings, I'm sure I'm not dreaming or making this up for that matter. I can't see my wrists, but the hard and cold resistance against them says as much that I'm in bondage. _What the hell? _I try wriggling them. I try shifting to mist, but even _that _won't work. _What's wrong with me? _

And I think I just noticed something else. I feel wet. That kind of sounds wrong, but never mind that. Seriously though, I'm wet, and that...shouldn't have been a confused statement...BECAUSE I'M ENCASED IN GREEN LIQUID! I can't move too much even if I want too. Even my legs are held down, but the restraints aren't that strong enough. I try to break free as hard as I can, but why the hell do my legs and arms feel like they're pumped with lead. They seem...too heavy to lift. I blink a couple of times.

_How can I open my eyes? _

_Because the liquid doesn't contain any form of alkali substance. It's pure! Duh? _

_Shut up, conscience! I knew that!_

Turning my head to what little fraction of it I can manage, now I know why the voices I heard were so muffled, like being underwater and encased in a container, because _I'm _the one who's being held captive. If I'm right, I should be in Shin-Ra's labs by now—being held prisoner. But how did I get here? Oh right, I was stabbed with a syringe... Probably contained a sedative or something...

_Yey Kadaj! You just figured it out. Did that guy hit your head _that _hard that it caused your neurons to become retarded?_

_Do shut up! You try being in my state and let's see how you handle this!_

_Uhhh... I _am _you, you moron. We're one person..._

_Right. How could I forget my idiotic side...?_

Blinking some more, I take in what I can see from my little shell, which is by now that I realized it, a cylindrical glass case—or a giant test tube. Whatever.

Well yeah, I can tell I'm in a high standard lab. Oh great, I'm back in the old days of physical torment, day and night. What do they want from me anyway? I thought _that girl_ got what she wanted when she practically seduced me to get my blood. She's an experiment now, isn't she? Could she be in this building somewhere?

_Kadaj, I thought you decided to forget about her..._

_I _have_ forgotten about her. She's gone from my memory now..._

_Then why are you thinking of her?_

_I'm not thinking of her positively, am I?_

_No, but you're still thinking of her. _

_Lem'me alone..._

The sound of the door opening breaks my reverie with my unforgiving conscience—that stupid part of me that argues about my affection shared with the girl. Enough of that, and more importantly, who the hell is that guy coming towards my tank?

_Have you tried noting his clothes?_

_He's a scientist..._

_Took you long enough..._

_Shut up, will you? You've been constantly annoying lately._

_Someone's overreacting~_

_...SHUT. UP. Since when are you this talkative?_

_Since now..._

"The specimen is awake, sir." What do you mean specimen?

The man is soon joined by a much older one and both of them look at me like I'm some kind of animal. Growling, I would've broken this glass if I'm not feeling so weak, and if I'm not in bonds. How could they simply refer to me like that?

"So I see... Finally awake after such an arduous procedure done on him. He needed his rest." The older man seems to agree, nodding his head and they both walk away, taking care to close the door behind them.

What arduous procedure are they talking about? And how long have I been here?

vVvVv

**Normal POV**

Rufus grinned inwardly. He could've laughed at his victory. He had just finished conversing with Cloud, and cheerily told him the good news of the Remnants' capture. It seemed the ex-SOLDIER was still wary of his motives, but no matter. Cloud wasn't really doing anything recently. He was out of their way, but who knows for how long. They had the Remnants in custody and suspended motion for three days now. And Kadaj had just undergone a 'purification' operation.

According to the scientists, they had been able to draw out the negative Lifestream that comprised the Remnant's body, disabling him from his special abilities and weakening him to the point of near death, but leaving his proficiency in battle unharmed. Well, that was good. As far as things were going, everything was in motion lately, and it was perfectly fine.

vVvVv

A loud pain-filled scream echoed against the walls of the room they had put her in. It was a test to determine her ability to withstand mental torment and she was failing miserably in said test. Another muffled yet shrill scream rang out before the scientists decide to call it off and discuss the matter among them.

One scientist removed the headphones and placed the listening device back on the table as he stared at their specimen, curled up into a ball on the cold floor, eyes filled with fear and pain. Why wasn't it working? They had done everything they could to enhance her. They had decided to let her undergo mental torment first because it seemed tolerable for a specimen experiencing side effects, but this was the second test, and still no improvement.

"Bring her out and into my office," the professor declared, standing from his place and exiting the chamber where all the other scientists—including Cornelia—were.

Cornelia watched with bated breath as her new friend screamed and backed away in terror throughout the procedure. She didn't agree with any of them, and felt sorry for Alexandria, who was now curled up into a ball, and could've been whimpering and trembling too. The girl had told her the story of how she ended up here, and knew with a certain degree that Alexandria was dreadfully missing her lover when he crossed her mind.

The scientists were arguing as to who should go inside and fetch the terrorized specimen. When she noticed they were going nowhere, Cornelia wordlessly entered the dismal room the girl was held in. Slowly approaching the trembling figure, she lightly touched the girl's shoulder.

Ria turned to the woman with tears in her eyes, the pain being so unbearable that she wished to die. Cornelia nodded once at her, looking at her apologetically as she helped her to her feet and brought her out where a wheelchair was waiting for her.

"You're going to Professor Gillard's office. He wants to examine you himself," Cornelia whispered as one of the scientists took charge to wheel the specimen out of the room.

vVvVv

Yazoo and Loz were kept in separate cells—weakened and still unconscious. Their states were very different from their youngest brother who had been taken for experimentation, and the two of them, well... they were yet to be checked up on, and observed to find out what could be made useful of them.

Yazoo was the first to come to his senses, seeing himself in a sparsely decorated room that he instantly recognized as a containment cell for specimen. He couldn't believe it. How was Shin-Ra able to take him down? In the midst of that thought, Yazoo also wondered about his brothers' whereabouts. Loz had still been fighting when he was taken down and he really hoped Kadaj and Loz weren't here too.

Lifting his head with much difficulty, Yazoo noticed he was alone. Tiredly, his head flopped back down onto the pillow. Why did he feel so weak? He felt drained, exhausted, almost useless... What had they done to him? His arms felt too heavy to lift, same with his legs. He tried twitching his fingers, but even _that _simple a task he accomplished with much difficulty. Absentmindedly, he wondered how long it would take him to regain his strength. Whatever these scums had done to him, he knew it wasn't good.

vVvVv

DAY 23

Loz groaned and awoke to the sound of unfamiliar beeping that told him he wasn't in their little house in the Bone Village. Well sure, he should've figured that out since he had tried to save Yazoo. And he woke up here. How strange.

Unlike Yazoo however, Loz wasn't alone when he came to his senses. There was someone in his containment cell with him. And much like his brothers, he found himself weak and almost useless; a contrast from his former state of strength. Another thing the eldest Remnant noticed was that there was a stabilizing machine near his head.

He tried to get up, but failed, and the sound of his movement had alerted the man in the room that their subject had finally awakened. Turning, Loz easily recognized the man to be a scientist, and the Shin-Ra logo found on his left pocket told the Remnant everything he needed to know.

"What the hell am I doing here?" Loz groaned softly.

"Easy there, big guy. You're badly done and if you want to live, you'd quit trying to tug yourself away from the machine..." The man—who looked as if he were twenty-five years of age—explained.

"What does it do?" Loz asked, partly curious, partly demanding to know why he needed such a machine to live.

"It stabilizes you of course. I just performed a blood test on you," the man remarked, checking the machine Loz was hooked to.

"I don't need that thing," Loz cried out stubbornly, despite being unable to move his limbs.

"Yes you do. Believe me, if the president didn't want you guys alive, we would've left you and that long-haired guy for dead." The man smirked, amused.

Loz's eyes widened upon hearing the man's statement. Yazoo? Loz was positive that this man mentioned Yazoo. Who else would have long hair and be associated to him? But...what about Kadaj?

"You mean Yazoo?" Loz asked innocently, taken aback at the mention of his younger brother's name.

"That's his name?" The man had an odd expression on his face, one of amazement and disgust thrown together. "Quite different."

"What about Kadaj?" Loz asked once more, voicing his thoughts, and wondering where their leader could be. Maybe he escaped.

"Oh, that guy?" The man smirked. "You should've seen the look on his face when he first woke up after that severe operation done on him. Priceless."

Loz blinked. Kadaj...had been operated on? And this man had a loose tongue just like Reno—almost as if he were drunk. He simply couldn't keep his mouth shut and continued to babble about the things they've been doing lately; about the drawing of substantial Mako from Kadaj's blood, and removing the negative Lifestream that made up half of the youngest Remnant's body that provided him inhuman abilities, and left him weak and close to death without the intensified Mako supporting his pathetic life.

"Oh yeah, big guy... We're purifying him for a good purpose. And you know what else? There's this cute female specimen we got in here that's under experimentation too..." The man shrugged. "I shouldn't like her, but... who could not? Man, she's cute! But she's in so much pain right now. Not that I care..."

Loz just blinked, not really understanding what female specimen he was ranting about, but felt genuine concern and worry for his brothers. Yazoo seemed to be in a state just like him, but Kadaj was far off worse. How had Shin-Ra managed to take all three of them at once?

vVvVv

Kadaj was frustrated. He was frustrated that he could've glared a menacing hole in the tank glass. He hated being in here—being all wet and his clothes were soaked, but he could barely feel them. His fingers were quite numb and so were the rest of his body, like something deep within was missing. He felt like half of his life had just been deprived of him. He was still thinking of the operation mentioned by those two scientists. What had they been doing to him was the thought that crossed his mind time and again. His sword was missing too, and that was more than enough to get him mad.

He could barely move and couldn't even devise an effective escape plan. All of the possibilities that came to mind involved the use of his limbs and legs—which at the moment was quite useless since it was in clear bondage and he felt so weak. Growling like a caged animal, Kadaj let out a loud expression of rage that could've shook the tank if it weren't for the breathing apparatus attached to his mouth.

He felt so powerless and that was a feeling he never loved. He felt quite exhausted to. And out of nowhere, he found himself thinking that he was in the same place as Ria was. Where was she? It felt like a long time ago since he last saw her. When was the last time he even kissed her? He couldn't quite remember after chastising himself time and time again to forget about her, trying to convince himself that she was a traitor, but...the look in her eyes that night she left was unmistakable sincerity.

She was doing it for them, so she said, and...he couldn't really stop scolding himself for clouding his judgment with rage. It wasn't really fair on her part. Who would've thought he'd end up in the very same place as her? Not that he'd be seeing her anytime soon, because that was hardly possible since he couldn't even move. He wanted to see her again, and who was he kidding by telling himself that he hated her: himself certainly. He knew it—mind and heart—that he never really came to hate her. He loved her with all of him, and he knew it... No matter how many times he would deny it, there was always that tiny voice in his head telling him that he was lying to himself; telling him that she was really the reason he changed immensely.

And since she was gone, he knew he hadn't been able to do anything right. He was completely malfunctioning and seemed timid and ill-tempered than usual. He rarely conversed with his brothers from that time on, and Kadaj really hated the fact that he could never go on without her. When the hell did he even start caring about her feelings and becoming so attached?

And it was at these thoughts that constantly bothered him did Kadaj give himself to unconsciousness. His eyelids felt like there were sandbags tied to them and he couldn't keep them open for much longer. So he gave in...


	51. Chapter 50: Torrid

**A/N: Cloud makes another appearance. He's actually pretty fun to portray. I love teasing his character with regards to answering his phone because he rarely does.  
Saki: Well, it's not bad to say 'dawww' xD.. thanks for the review. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 50: Torrid**

**Normal POV**

(1 WEEK LATER) DAY 30

This thing he was about to do was very unlike him, and Cloud...wanted to seriously hurt himself for it. In his hand was his phone, Rufus' number appearing large and vibrant on the screen. Should he do this? Cloud knew Tifa would surely laugh if she knew the thoughts scurrying through his head—contemplating to call someone or not as if he was committing a grave crime—at the moment, and he really didn't want that to happen.

"Cloud, is everything okay?"

Cloud looked up to see Tifa staring at him with concern. She was carrying a tray of dirty glasses from one of the customers that had recently left. He nodded once.

"You've been staring at your phone for a while now," Tifa remarked curiously wondering what was up with Cloud.

"I just lost my train of thought. I'm going to call Vincent..." Wait, what? No! He wasn't going to call Vincent. Cloud really resisted the urge to smack his forehead.

"Oh, that's good... I have to take care of these. Say hi to Vincent for me," Tifa smiled and without another word whisked herself away to wash the dirty glasses and to attend to more customers.

Sighing, he quickly got up and rushed upstairs and into his room. The only real reason he wanted to call Shin-Ra was that he wanted a meeting with him. He had to stop that ambitious president from going overboard with his plans and put the planet in danger again. Well, Cloud _was _happy that the Remnants had been captured but...Rufus wanted to use them...and that wasn't a very good idea.

"Screw this," Cloud muttered, pressing the 'call' button and holding the phone to his ear, and waited for Rufus to pick up.

vVvVv

He opened his eyes to be greeted in the same place he was in when he first woke up. Yazoo never knew silence could be so loud in such a place. Even when he had been in these kinds of places when he was a child, silence never actually reigned supreme...until now that is. What time of day was it? And he'd been sleeping for what seemed like an eternity already. When was the last time he even saw daylight? And you really couldn't blame Yazoo for feeling so useless after being cooped up in his containment cell, and admitted in bed without ever getting up for a long, long time.

Once more, the Remnant tried his fortune at getting up, but no such luck. He still felt like a vegetable. Was he paralyzed? The thought sent unpleasant imaginings to the young man who was still confined to the hospital bed. He'd just slept for so long, how come he was so weak? Yazoo blinked a couple of times and very slowly, with much needed effort, tried to bend one of his knees upwards—a stepping stone to fully getting up.

After accomplishing the hard task, he managed a faint smile. At least he wasn't paralyzed, that was for sure. Yazoo grunted, planting his hands against the mattress for support and tried in vain to get up. But alas, he could only go as far as to lifting his torso four inches above the mattress before sinking back down. '_What the hell?_' he thought. Okay, now he was frustrated with himself. He shouldn't be like this.

The glass doors to his containment cell opened with a mechanical whir, and in walked a middle-aged male scientist, catching Yazoo in his moment of trying to get himself upright.

"It's good to see that you're finally awake," the man mused, smirking.

Yazoo blinked before even finding his voice to ask. "What do you mean?"

"Why, we've been observing you for a week now." The professor gasped, surprised that the Remnant wasn't even aware that he was unconscious for a week. "You'll be happy to know that you woke up just in time."

"A week?" Yazoo croaked out, his voice rising feebly as his eyes darted around for a means of escape.

"Yes." The aged man nodded once, a wicked twinkle in his eyes—excitement perhaps. "We've been giving the clone a couple of test runs. But he's not activated yet. The final ingredient is yet to be added to breathe life into him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't mind and simply submit," the man smiled knowingly, finishing his task of unlocking each of the little wheels to get Yazoo's hospital bed moving.

But before actually doing so, leg irons and SOLDIER standard restraints sprouted from the bed railings and mercilessly attached themselves to Yazoo's weak body. Long, curved metal arches rose from both sides, and one clamped down on his neck, the second one across his chest, the third one across his middle, and the last one across his knees.

"What are you-?" He didn't get to finish his cry as the professor put duct tape over his mouth to keep him from speaking.

Nonchalantly, the aged scientist wheeled the hospital bed out of the containment cell so the subject would be put into the subject's waiting room—where the others would also be in during the course of the final test run they would perform on Sephiroth's clone.

Yazoo shifted and writhed about to no avail. It didn't really help that his muscles felt numb and there were teeny pricks of pain felt all over his joints. It didn't help that his precious Velvet Nightmare's location was unknown to him. Where had they put his weapon?

And so with heavy melancholy was Yazoo led to another dismal room that surely had death written on its walls. The Remnant was undeniably helpless and unable to move at all. The man left him there, alone in the darkness and silence had taken its throne up once more. He breathed heavily as his cat's eyes darted across the room, confused as to why the darkness seemed to swallow up everything—though before, he never had a problem with that since he could see through that precocious veil they called darkness.

It wouldn't really take a genius to tell Yazoo enough for him to figure out that he was alone...but not for long.

vVvVv

Hours later, the door to Yazoo's new prison opened and the lights flickered on, blinding bright, as the scientists brought in another hospital bed that was being occupied with no other person, but Loz himself. The middle Remnant strained his neck as far as he could lift just to see his older brother being stationed six feet from him. There was no mistaking it. It was definitely Loz.

His eyes were closed, and he looked skinny. Yazoo blinked rapidly; still weak and exerting much effort to turn his head. Loz's skin appeared sallow and shrunken in the glare of the bright lights, and it was then that Yazoo noticed the machine to which they were hooking him up to and again noticed a similarity to the giant hunk of metal near him. He didn't know what these guys were doing, but judging from Loz's appearance, he knew it couldn't be good.

Yazoo had been asleep for a week, and he really didn't know how he looked, but he felt the same—except being extremely weak—as before. He still had that damned duct tape over his mouth and he really couldn't say anything even if he wanted to. Now it only left one more question: Where was Kadaj?

The scientists finished injecting the various needles in Loz's body and proceeded towards Yazoo's direction. The Remnant's eyes widened in recognition, and for the first time in his entire life, Yazoo felt how it was to be afraid.

vVvVv

Kadaj opened his eyes and blurrily focused on the liquid being drained and coaxed by the machine towards the bottom of the tank. He wondered what was happening and for a split second, thought if he had been freed. But of course, the answer was a no. The breathing apparatus detached from his mouth and the tank's glass door slid open, and unbelievably, Kadaj sank to his knees on the floor and could've dropped face first if not for the strong arms that suddenly slid under his arms and pulled him up.

Someone had hoisted him up enough so he was able to strap the youngest Remnant to a wheelchair as he slowly regained consciousness. Kadaj really wasn't in a state to understand what was happening. All that he could comprehend were strung into awkward phrases that ran through his head. But unlike Yazoo, Kadaj was aware that he had been kept inside that Mako tank for a long time. (He was thinking probably a week or so—which is quite right.) He not only knew, but he could feel the effects ravaging on his helpless body—his body that was once filled with strength reduced to a vegetable-like state.

Instead of increasing his strength, the Mako only succeeded in draining him, and so resulted into a vulnerable state that made the youngest Remnant powerless to resist Sephiroth's strong presence rising to the surface of his consciousness. Kadaj knew the SOLDIER couldn't take over his body without their Mother's remains, but he could really feel his mind being constantly inhabited with the SOLDIER's dreaded memories and cravings to destroy the planet. At a time, feeling Sephiroth felt like staring at a child through a transparent sound-proof glass case, wherein he would pound against it to no avail, but now, Kadaj felt like somehow, that barrier in his mind that kept Sephiroth out had broken.

Moreover, Kadaj knew of Shin-Ra's plans for a cloned Sephiroth, and that only increased the Remnant's suspicions towards their purpose of placing him in custody.

Kadaj blinked weakly, fighting the unbearable throbbing in his head when he was brought to an impossibly cool room. The temperature could have been freezing in his state. The lights were on, and Rufus was standing in front of a figure of a man encased in a tank, the stranger's long silver hair being carried by the liquid in the container, causing it to float somewhat majestically.

Of course this was no stranger. This was Sephiroth. Kadaj recognized him easily, and could really tell that the creature was still quite lifeless. Rufus turned to the newcomers, and smiled knowingly at the silver-haired youth attached to the wheelchair.

"Now you have set your eyes upon the object of my projects; the main event as they say," Rufus smirked, eyeing the gorgeous clone dotingly.

"You disgust me," Kadaj spoke in a low voice.

"Funny, I should say the same thing about you." Rufus let a cruel smirk adorn his face.

"What do you want from me?" Kadaj demanded without as much force as he spoke these words.

"For you to disappear from this planet of course. That's what the people of Edge desire, and so do I... but you simply cannot join the Lifestream without being put to good use, so I thought of this," Rufus stepped closer to the Remnant. "You should be grateful, Remnant. My company and I are the reason you and your brothers and so many others lived a long time ago. Admit it. You could've died if it weren't for this company."

"Shut up..." Kadaj seethed, pouring as much hate as he could muster into the death glare he sent Rufus' way. "You want nothing but power...since the beginning."

"You're one to talk, Kadaj... Speaking as if it was me who yielded to Jenova's wishes to destroy the planet. You speak as if I inflicted the stigma that caused a lot of sufferings in Midgar." Rufus shook his head and his statement made Kadaj quiet.

Rufus was right, but even the Remnant knew he was a puppet back then. "So what do you want from me? I have no use. Why don't you just kill me?"

"You're the final ingredient to breathe life into my new creation."

vVvVv

"Please! I've had enough!"

The pleading didn't help and was a second too late before the seven-foot long whip—armed with tiny spikes—lashed out at her back again, this time drawing an insane amount of blood trickling across her back. She was breathing hard, unable to hold herself up. She faced the Turk holding the whip and was waiting for another signal from the scientists to crack it again.

With great effort, Ria managed to get onto her wobbly legs, her blood soaked shirt sticking painfully to her back—so much for being pain-resistant. None of their attempts at this part of her experimentation worked at all.

They only succeeded inflicting her with mental and physical torment that left her rugged, miserable, and in pain. They had been increasing her daily tests, because the clone's completion was drawing near. Only one thing was still missing according to Professor Gillard. And Ria really wasn't enthusiastic or excited to be Sephiroth's breeding partner, or the fact that she was to be a breeder for that matter. If they succeeded in making her numb to pain, her first artificial insemination would be take place next week, but so far, there were more than one 'minor' setbacks.

Another loud crackle rang from the intercom, giving the signal, and the Turk mercilessly cracked the whip, and drew it back. Ria watched as it lashed out through the empty air, coming towards her, and with as much agility and determination as she could muster, she took hold of the tip as it came at her. The spikes on the ominous weapon pricked the skin at her palms, drawing more blood. Glaring at the obnoxious Turk who stared at her disbelief, she pulled. Barely having the strength to sustain the momentum when the Turk resisted, she ended up sprawled in the far corner of the testing room—a bloody and pathetic heap.

A shadow fell across her and found the Turk grinning at her wickedly. He struck her across the face, her cheek and lip splitting from the powerful blow. Her dark brown hair was tangled and drenched with sweat as she trembled and managed to look up at her tormentor with tear-filled eyes, imploring that they stop this.

The Turk nodded once, and spoke into the device attached to his collar. "Your specimen can't take it anymore. And besides, if I were you, I'd let her get plenty of rest since the president's planning on completing the clone later, and he specifically wanted her presence there."

"Very well," the scratchy voice boomed over the intercom and they listened as it faded to crackling static.

A scientist entered the dreary room, and picked her up, muttering to himself why it wasn't working. They obviously tried everything, but the Turk was right. She needed her rest if they were going to introduce her to cloned Sephiroth later on.

vVvVv

"Cloud, I don't understand," Tifa sighed, folding her arms across her chest after hearing the blonde's outrageous explanation about Sephiroth being revived—cloned—by Shin-Ra.

Upon hearing her say these words, Cloud grunted. "I told you everything..."

"Yeah, but...how and why."

"I don't know either Tifa. I'm thinking he's gone mad...or something. That's why I have to find his new location and stop whatever he's planning—to try to talk him out of it. Unluckily, he plans on bringing his clone to life today. At least that's what he told me," Cloud shrugged, shifting his weight onto his left foot.

"Maybe they've been working on it before..." she mused.

Cloud nodded once. "I have to stop him. And whether he likes it or not, his clone has to be destroyed...along with the Remnants."

"You can't do that alone," Tifa protested. "I'll call everyone else. We'll catch up..."

"It's not that easy. They had their new company building established in the outskirts of Midgar. I don't know where it is, and I'm gonna have to look for it," Cloud reasoned, cursing himself for not asking for directions.

He tried calling Rufus again, but the president wouldn't answer his phone. And Cloud, really didn't have the patience to laugh at the irony.

Tifa blinked. "Well, it _is _a big building. It won't take you long. More reason to call the rest of the gang," she beamed.

He snorted. The last time he saw AVALANCHE altogether was during that day when Kadaj's Bahamut nearly destroyed the city. And he really hated how much Tifa made sense right now. Cid's airship would be a big help if he was going to find Rufus' new discreetly made building. And since when did luck start taking Shin-Ra's side? He hadn't heard from Reno either. He should've been suspicious from the first time the president had asked for Jenova's remains.

Cloud sighed heavily. "Alright... Tell them, and catch up, okay?"

At least, if the newly formed clone wreaked havoc, he wouldn't fight Sephiroth alone.


	52. Chapter 51: Blood

**A/N: I know I never detailed Sephiroth's thoughts in this story before, but now I did because he plays a very important role in the ending. And there would be loads of violence in this chapter and I repeat the same warnings before. You know that if you have taken the time to read my previous author's notes. And a lot of drama would be present too.**

* * *

**Chapter 51: Blood **

**Normal POV**

"_At long last, I shall be transferred to a stronger vessel. And it's identically a replication of my physicality."_

_The voice in his head was simply thrilled, sounded excited even. _

"_Get out of my head," Kadaj snarled._

"_Soon, my dear Remnant. I won't have need for your weak body anymore," Sephiroth laughed cruelly._

"_It's a clone. It doesn't last for two months," Kadaj seethed, doing all he could to discourage the foreign presence that for so long had tormented him in his dreams and waking moments. _

_After being dormant since Jenova's death, Sephiroth's activity had become even stronger after Kadaj woke up in that tank. _

"_I've waited for so long, Remnant. I won't let human folly fail me this time. As you have said before, Shin-Ra had made a magnificent loophole for my return, and so they have. That mere body is a shell for now, but not for long once I will sustain it with my life force."_

"_I won't let you." Kadaj spoke defiantly. "You'll rot inside me."_

_Sephiroth chuckled, clearly amused at the youth's display of nobility. "Tsk, tsk. When have you started caring for anybody? Oh right, after meeting that girl..."_

_Kadaj was silent, barely able to speak a word after Sephiroth had struck such a sensitive chord that reverberated in his senses in the midst of unconsciousness. Was he...talking about...Ria?_

"_I don't know what you're talking about," Kadaj denied it sourly; more of trying to convince himself that he didn't care._

_Sephiroth only chuckled cruelly yet again. "Ah the stupidity of teenagers. Raging hormones, and unkempt temper. You're brattier than I thought you'd be."_

_His comments were met with Kadaj's uncharacteristic silence._

"_Don't worry though, Kadaj... I'll make sure to take care of your cherished love once they hand her over to me," Sephiroth's voice dripped with sarcasm and it really didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he meant to kill Ria once he was free._

"_Shut the f*** up, Sephiroth!" Kadaj snarled, and his head was instantly engulfed in pain that made his head pound and throb with so much force, he felt like it would explode._

"_Watch your tongue, you insolent brat!" Sephiroth roared._

Kadaj woke up, finding himself in an empty glass tank positioned right next to the one containing Sephiroth's shell. Well, at least he was certain that Shin-Ra would fail again, and their plans were going to backfire, because apparently, that annoying presence inside his head had other plans. The Remnant groaned, still not recovering from that mental torment inflicted. His head was still pounding so hard like it was being constantly hammered with an anvil.

It was at this moment that a large number of scientists suddenly began filing into the room followed by a couple of Turks and then the president himself. Kadaj's eyes were as big as saucer plates when the people made way for two hospital beds being wheeled inside: the occupants, no other than Yazoo and Loz.

Acting on impulse, Kadaj instinctively tried to bring his fists up to deal a punch to the glass doors that were holding him in, but like before, his attempted breakout was met with cruel resistance. Of course...he should've known that his wrists and legs were bound with SOLDIER issue restraints. And he couldn't break free even if he wanted too. His will was quite strong, but his body was undeniably weak.

"Yazoo! Loz!" He cried out, never realizing how much he missed his brothers, and he thought they had managed to escape.

Rufus threw a glance Kadaj's way, but ignored him, and nodded at the scientists. The youngest Remnant watched helplessly as the various extractors that were hooked to the bodies of his unconscious brothers began pumping hastily; all of the precious fluid and inhuman contents in the two Remnants' bodies flowing towards the intensified liquid that surrounded the cloned Sephiroth's tank.

Kadaj could've cried; his bottom lip trembled at how helpless they all were right now. One look at his brothers' state, made him realize how much he really cared about them, despite only being a half-brother to the two, but they were his only family left. They were the ones who really stuck with him all these years, through thick and thin they'd never left him even if he was stubborn, cruel, and he vaguely remembered how well they handled his verbal abuse.

He didn't want to admit it, but he knew. He was sure of it, as sure as he was that he was going to end up like them. They were dying before his very eyes. And Rufus was standing there, grinning, happy with what he was doing. Kadaj inhaled deeply, squeezing his eyes shut, and turning his head away in quiet despair—already mourning the loss of his brothers.

A few minutes before Rufus had announced that the clone was almost complete. The final ingredient was needed, and Kadaj opened his eyes, only catching a glimpse of his brothers being wheeled away from the room—to be put in a secluded room no doubt. For all he knew, Kadaj was certain that his end wouldn't even be a tragedy.

Three of the scientists came over and carefully lowered the tank, a fourth scientist pressing a button and knockout gas was released, putting the Remnant into unconsciousness once more.

It was at this moment that Ria, accompanied by Cornelia, entered the dreary room. And the brunette, upon having laid eyes on the tank that contained the body of the Remnant she once loved, slowly felt tears coming to her eyes. How could Rufus betray his part of the deal? She agreed to this because he told her he'd leave her family and the Remnants untouched. She betrayed her love's trust to be maltreated, to become a caged animal, to become an experimental hoe for a cloned SOLDIER hoping and betting her life to give the Remnants their deserved freedom, and _this _is what Rufus had the balls to do?!

She saw red and poured every ounce of hate into the glare she directed at every one of the scientists and the man who had betrayed her so much. His thirst for control and his hunger for power had led him to do this and she blamed the planet's influence on him.

By now, brain transmitters were attached to Kadaj's silver head. Ria was trembling with anger. Why does this have to happen? She could only watch helplessly, silence filling the room, everyone's breaths bated, eager to see if it was a success. For all she knew, Ria was certain he would die, because as much as she could comprehend, they were sucking the life out of him—just as they did to his brothers—and lending it to their new creation. .

"Life-force was successfully transmitted, sir..." One of the professors spoke up.

They gazed intently at the tank, watching as the intensified Mako liquid slowly drained.

"What's taking so long, yo?" Reno exclaimed, breaking the silence, every one spared him a glare, and he shrugged.

Ria, in her wheelchair, could only stare at Kadaj's somewhat lifeless body. She could only see him, no one else. She didn't care whether this Sephiroth would turn out good or evil, for there was only one loud object she could focus on, and that had to be the Remnant leader. His words echoed in her head, and she instantly remembered that final night in Junon—almost like an eternity ago. He hated her.

There was a collective gasp resounding in the room as the clone's eyes opened with a snap. Immediately, the tank's doors opened, and as if he had been living all along, Sephiroth took his first step on the metal floor, and with a cruel smirk, sent the president a malicious look.

"I have your company to express my gratitude of bringing me back."

Reno shuddered, and the Rufus was slightly taken aback. He shot Professor Gillard a glare.

"Well? Is he under my control?" Rufus demanded.

But before anyone could utter a word, Sephiroth spoke up: "A defective flaw. Seems your plans only worked in setting me free from my previous inhibition of the chosen Remnant's body." He smirked. "Enough talk. Because even as I speak, the Lifestream is already reacting to my very presence..."

The room was still in silence before almost all of the scientists had the initiative to scramble out of the room, for the cloned Sephiroth only succeeded in housing the takeover of the real one. Raising a hand, one of the electrical wires began to spark, and as such ignited the corner of the large room.

The Turks had the initiative to strike altogether at first with a fierce war cry, but as Reno started bringing his electric rod down on the SOLDIER, Sephiroth blocked his attack with Masamune sending sparks flying and he threw him back. And so, a battle between the Turks and Sephiroth had ensued, and without a full fifteen minutes, the president swiftly ordered a swift evacuation of the area through one of the communicating devices in the room.

vVvVv

"Well, where are you?" Cloud demanded through his phone.

He was already a ways away from Edge and he still hadn't found that damn building. How well did they hide it this time? If Cloud were a spontaneous person, he might have torn his hair out by now.

"_We can't find anything 'Shin-Ra' yet... Hold yourself together,"_ Tifa spoke calmly, trying very hard not to laugh.

Cloud was in the ground below while the rest of AVALANCHE was mounted on Cid's airship. Yuffie was making quite a racket, bothering Cid and Barrett, while the rest of the men did their best to ignore her and continue their aerial search.

"_Hold on... We spot something." _Tifa started but didn't finish as the phone was yanked from her by a frantic Cid Highwind.

"Tifa?" Cloud asked, confused, revving his bike's engine.

"_It's me Spike... We're seeing a cloud of black smoke from a burning building. Something's going on down there. I'm finding a place to land this ship, and you'd better start heading north..." _Cid mused, maneuvering the airship around as best as he could.

"Way ahead of you..." Cloud smirked going at 140mph.

"_Holly s***! Is that...?" _Came Cid's slightly distant voice, and then a loud cry from one of his teammates that suggested an ominous meaning.

"_Sephiroth?!"_

'_Oh s***, this can't be good._' Cloud thought as masses of black clouds swirled overhead.

vVvVv

Kadaj blinked, rising once more to consciousness and there were blares of fire alarms going about. There was something else that sent shivers down his spine and that wasn't the fact that he still felt weak and that he was lying outside, on the ground, and the building was on fire. It was the very presence of the monster that had been inhibiting his body that caused him to wake up.

Kadaj forced himself to get up, and his eyes frantically darted around the area and spotted three figures. Blinking through his disorientation, he managed to make out long silver hair that swept the dirt as the man knelt before a woman—a scientist probably, and he could see that she had a long deep gash that wouldn't keep her alive for long.

And there was another figure lying helpless in the dirt to which his weakened senses detected and called out to. Ria.

Forcing himself to his feet, Kadaj managed. He leaned a bit on his knees for support until he stood up straight though he faltered slightly. Where was his sword? He stared at her as she lay sprawled on the dirt, a few meters away from him, eyes open and staring blankly ahead.

"So you are alive after all," came Sephiroth's voice.

"It would've been better to die..." Kadaj murmured, noting the charred state of the Shin-Ra company's building and how gloomy the outside world was, but maybe that was because of the black clouds and negative Lifestream swirling in the air.

The Remnant failed to notice the airship or the fact that the surrounding area was devoid of screaming which should have been present during a fire. Even the earth felt scorched beneath his feet, and the heat of the burning building sent acrid smoke into the air, thick and overwhelming. The Remnant coughed in his weakened state.

"I would hold my tongue if I were you...or that little wish of yours might just be granted at an opportune time," Sephiroth smiled madly.

"What happened to everyone?" Kadaj demanded, not really concerned for the inhabitants of the burning building and burning trees, but more for his brothers who were no doubt burning corpses inside.

"Annihilated..." Sephiroth spoke amused at the show of Kadaj's faltering stance and strength. "Tell me... what do you intend for me to do with you?"

The older man stepped closer to his remnant, pointing Masamune dangerously at his chest.

"If you have no use for me, kill me as well," came the reply that was devoid of emotion.

Ria stared at the two sliver-haired men as they conversed with each other cruelly. Sephiroth had better not find out she was alive, or... Grunting softly, she shifted on the dirt—rocks and sharp objects beneath her that bothered her battered body—and did her best to remain still. And she really couldn't believe Kadaj would actually say that—dare or even entreat Sephiroth to kill him. This SOLDIER was the most cold-blooded killer she would ever dare to meet. And at his unexpected return, so many lives had been ended as of this day, all of which included Rufus and a number of the Turks.

Sephiroth laughed cruelly. "As amusing as you might be, I'm afraid I'm quite in a bond to do such things yet. I intend to put you in pain for the failures you've committed in your short existence. You could've died with the others, but you owe that woman," he gestured to the dying scientist, "...your life for saving both you, and the girl."

Kadaj groaned, nearly slipping when he shifted his weight. He was in no condition to fight and he knew it. He could only glance at his helpless love as she lay in a short distance, utterly vulnerable to Sephiroth's unpredicted schemes. In a blur of movement, the SOLDIER rushed to the girl's side intending to torment her physically, and taking up as much strength as he could, Kadaj hurled himself at the murderer, barely knocking him from his path.

Sephiroth growled, striking the Remnant and watched with glee as he easily fell to the ground, weakened and pathetic. With a mischievous glint in his eyes—the fire still raging about and slowly spreading—he raised his sword to stab the unfortunate youth, but Kadaj rolled away just in time and attempted to kick Sephiroth's feet from under him, and failing miserably.

"Do you really think you could fight with that?" Sephiroth mocked.

"I don't intend to!" Kadaj growled. "I hate you!"

"Obviously," Sephiroth shrugged him off, rolling his eyes at the Remnant's display of temper.

And in another blur of movement, Sephiroth was at Ria's side in an instant, raising his sword. Ria, now forgetting about her presumed act, slowly tried to get up in vain to move away from the oncoming slaughter.

"Watch me," he was about to deal a fatal blow.

Ria watched the sword coming down almost as if in slow motion and thought it was to be her end. Seeing Kadaj for the last time was all she could ever ask for, and she knew she really didn't have long to live now. Her family would learn of her sad fate somehow, and there was nothing else to do but accept the honest facts.

She was really bound of losing hope and giving up when Kadaj got in Sephiroth's way again and grabbed the blade of his sword, ignoring as it cut through his palms.

"Don't you even DARE touch her!" He snarled through gritted teeth, surprising Deliria at his display of sudden defiance and determination to...protect her.

However, Sephiroth was done playing games and without meriting a second glance even as Ria suddenly screamed, he thrust his sword into the spot just below Kadaj's ribs—stabbing the sword all the way to the hilt, and sliding the weapon out, now covered in the youth's dark red blood. The Remnant could only stare with unbearable pain in his eyes at the area where he had been stabbed.

"No!" Both heard the brunette shout as she was now trying to get up and failing. She remained on her knees and watched as Kadaj stumbled back.

Blood began to issue forth from the wound, and in a state of physical weakness, he fell to the ground, lying a few meters away from her.

Kadaj's breathing grew labored as he rapidly lost much blood. Sephiroth turned his unnerving gaze on the unfortunate young lady, and raised the sword, sending it downwards with the intent to injure the woman as well only to be blocked by a much broader sword. The clashing of steel sent sparks and Sephiroth dared to look into the eyes of the yet stranger intruding in his moment of kill. Electric blue and sparking. Sephiroth recognized it as no other than the very same person who had put him to an end two years ago.

"Good to see you, Cloud."

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**A/N: Yazoo and Loz's death are so...simple. I would've favored a more extravagant one, but they WERE being drained of life after all. Kadaj managed to survive because he's anchored to Ria who is still living. There's an explanation in the ending. **


	53. Chapter 52: Pandemonium

**A/N: A short chapter detailing Cloud's fight against Sephiroth. When I was writing this, I absurdly thought Kadaj was pretty lousy, but he lost his Souba and it's kind of my fault. I'm very sorry. My former idea was to have Kadaj fight Sephiroth in the end, but that kind of went down the drain. So here it is. I just altered the original fight scene from AC. **

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**Chapter 52: Pandemonium**

**Normal POV**

In all of Cloud's wildest dreams, he never imagined that today would be the day of facing his arch nemesis again. Just hearing Sephiroth greet him coldly with an air of sadism was more than enough of a signal that their battle was definitely on. The surrounding area was definitely on fire, and Cloud, as best as he could drove the fighting away from the wounded Kadaj and the despairing Ria whom he could tell were in no condition to even evacuate. He'd deal with them later because a much bigger problem was in need of being solved at the moment.

Now though, he and the dread general were fighting at the top of the burning building, the sky was darker than before and Cloud was hoping he'd make it through this fight because if he lost, everyone's lives would be surely at stake. Every citizen of the planet would be put into the mercy of the Nightmare. And he simply couldn't let Sephiroth take complete control of it, could he?

Amidst the determination and power and adrenaline that coursed through his veins, Cloud was still thinking; calculating his steps, blocking various fatal blows aimed at him, and neither of them had managed to injure the other yet.

By now the fighting had taken turns to being in the sky, inside the burning Shin-Ra building—where it reeked of death and burnt flesh, on the ground from time to time, and...Cloud was standing a nearby tree that was being knocked down and aimed to crush him beneath it. Sephiroth was behind this of course, and at a measurable distance, the blonde could still see the two lovers on the ground, and by this time he could see that Ria was trying her best to compress the fatal wound dealt to Kadaj.

He was suddenly snatched from that view when Cloud was forced to draw another of his swords from his main weapon to deflect various blows that came his way. They were fast and sure, and if he wasn't careful enough, he'd be dead in seconds. But alas, all great heroes must face certain defeat at times, and Cloud realized this when Sephiroth pushed him in his moment of disorientation.

The next thing Cloud could comprehend was a near blinding pain when the general stabbed his shoulder, nailing him to the burning building's hot metal. It could've scorched his skin easily if not for the clothing he wore, and blood began seeping through his clothes.

"Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away," Sephiroth spoke mockingly and something along his words gave Cloud a burst of intuition.

There was no way Sephiroth was going to best him in this fight. So many people's lives were at stake and he wasn't going to fail them. He had a lot to atone for and he made promises that he couldn't afford to break and with an extra dose of adrenaline coursing through his body—along with determination, he was able to pull Masamune free.

Ignoring the hindering pain in his shoulder, Cloud struck at him. Sephiroth avoided his attack and made a leap for him. Cloud met him in air and gathering every ounce of strength in his body, executed a fighting move that left Sephiroth in various slashes with his sword.

Cloud landed gracefully back on solid ground and looked up at his defeated foe. The sky was beginning to clear again, and healing rain began pouring slowly from the heavens.

"Stay where you belong—in my memories."

"I will...never be a memory."

With those last words spoken, the general disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. And just like that, the fighting had ceased. The fire was quenched by the pouring rain, the once tall and majestic Shin-Ra building was dilapidated, charred, a huge chunk of it disintegrated to ashes, and Cloud suddenly remembered something. Off at the distance, he could still see them, pressed close together, and slowly he made his way to them, sparing the airship overhead a glance.


	54. Chapter 53: Silence

**A/N: The second to the last chapter. And it's my favorite next to chapter 40 because there's so much drama. Pardon me if you think I have turned Kadaj into too much of a softy, but the guy's dying. Let's leave him alone to finally express those feelings to the woman he loves. And the explanation as to why Kadaj didn't die earlier can be found here.**

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**Chapter 53: Silence**

**Normal POV**

Nothing else mattered: just him. Fighting and chaos had been around them, but even _that _faded into nothing but eerie silence after the foe had been defeated, but she remained, and she'd managed to sit up and hold him in her arms too—despite her reopened wounds that oozed blood ever so slowly, but she ignored that. His wound was still bleeding and he should've died by now, but no... He was still alive. She hadn't spoken a word, and now when she felt the rain fall silently from the heavens, she found her voice.

"Kadaj..." she whispered, and he opened his eyes, acknowledging that he heard her. "This...This wouldn't have h-happened if...if I...if I hadn't..."

Kadaj raised a trembling hand to her cheek, and placed his thumb against her lips, silencing her. He shook his head lightly.

"Shhh... It's not your fault," he whispered, "I'm sorry... I don't hate you... I never had. Before...I…never thought another form of...love...could exist...other than...the love...I...had...for Mother, but...when I met you, I...realized I was wrong," Kadaj forced all the words out, despite how his voice broke and realized that Ria's will kept him anchored to the world of the living. She wasn't letting go of him yet, so he grabbed the opportunity. "I...I love you, Deliria Hollow... I always will."

Through Kadaj's whole short speech, Ria was already crying and didn't even care that her hair was let down, tangled, maybe looking like a bird's nest, but nothing ever really mattered now. Only Kadaj occupied her line of vision, and she gently tightened her persistent hold on him.

"I love you too, Kadaj... You fixed me. You made me whole. Nobody...ever loved me like you did," she sobbed.

Kadaj smiled at her—not one of happiness, but of sadness. "Ria...you have to let me go. I'm tired...and I want to rest. The thread of my life is woven...with yours in a connection... You have to...break it."

At those words, more tears leaked from her eyes. She didn't _want _to let him go. She needed him more than anything. And life without him...was meaningless. She loved him with all her heart, and found in him the kind of contentment she had never found in anyone else. But...he was tired, and he needed rest—so he said. She didn't want him to suffer anymore, but...

"But I need you...so much. That's why you can't go yet. Please?" She whispered leaning her forehead against his, noses touching.

"Forgive me, and I'm sorry...but I have to. I can hear them already. They're calling for me." Kadaj explained sadly. Nothing could be more painful than leaving her.

"Who?"

He grimaced slightly at the pain. "My...brothers."

Ria swallowed hard. This was just too difficult. But nothing could be more blissful than the feel of Kadaj's lips suddenly pressing against hers in a loving and gentle kiss. The mental connection was still there as his pain slowly melted away. Memories and flashbacks began rushing through her head, like a film in fast forward; from the day they first met to their petty quarrels, to the beautiful night they had confessed their love in that clearing, how he'd helped her find her true identity, how he consoled her in her grief for the loss of her best friend, and to that night she had sacrificed her freedom for him only to end things badly.

She found him again, and heard that confession of love from his lips. Nothing would be able to take that away from her. And she knew she would see him again someday. Slowly, he pulled away from the kiss, gazing into her amethyst eyes just as it met with his.

"Don't forget me okay?" She whispered and he nodded once.

"I'll always...be with you."

And she let him go; sacrificing her selfish needs for the freedom—that he truly deserved—yet again. She surrendered him to his fate, let him rest in peace. She knew she would be with him again someday, in a world where pain and battles were unknown.

Kadaj's eyes fluttered closed, and she placed a soft kiss on his forehead, and for the first time, acknowledging a heavy yet beautiful goodbye.

By the time Cloud had reached her, Kadaj had already joined the Lifestream and she was left with nothing but empty air. The blonde knelt beside her and stared at his long forgotten friend. He stared at the girl he'd taken under his wing when she was in a time of need. And as if Aerith's own voice was whispering: 'Forgive and forget.'

Cloud sheathed his sword and wrapped his arms comfortingly around the sobbing girl, gently tucking her head under his chin as she began to truly cry. She had been through so much and suffered through a tremendous loss. And he couldn't really blame her. All the other members of AVALANCHE were at the scene now to, and Tifa joined Cloud, wrapping her arms around the girl as well in a moment of quiet embrace with nothing in their minds except silence.

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**A/N: Please forgive me if you feel disappointed... I kind of wanted a happy ending, but this one really fit the whole idea... I despair Kadaj's death in AC as much as his other fan girls do, and I want to hit myself that I killed him in my story, but it's nice to know he's finally in peace.**


	55. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**Deliria's POV**

"Ria, it's late... You have to get some sleep if you're returning to Junon tomorrow."

That is Tifa's voice. Still, I'm unwilling to leave my position from the window. I really couldn't help staring up at the glittering stars in the sky—that large expanse of blue that had borne witness to the tragic events of yesterday. He's...up there somewhere—floating in the Lifestream. I wonder if he knows I'm thinking about him.

A hand alighted gently on my shoulder and I turned to see my old friend, staring at me with concern. I sigh. I know she knows what I'm thinking about, or accurately, _who_ I'm thinking of.

"He's really gone now..." I unknowingly whisper aloud.

"It will take time, but...you'll eventually accept it." Tifa spoke in a low voice, and I can't help thinking she's right, but haven't I already done that when I let him go?

"I think I already have... I just...miss him. He used to stay by my side at night, and...lull me to sleep with the sound of his heart beating. I don't think...I'll ever get used to being without him." I say, but I'm not convincing myself. It's true though, I can never sleep well back at the lab.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But you have to know that things in this world will always be that way. No one can change that." Tifa wraps an arm around me. "But there's always hope that when you join the Lifestream someday, you'll meet him there."

"Thanks, Tifa."

"Now get some sleep. You have a long day tomorrow."

This time, I don't even want to argue or even resist. I reluctantly make my way to the bed, and lie down, hoping with all my might that I wouldn't have a nightmare. Because this time, there'll be no silver angel by my side to kiss all those fears away. Tifa was right. I wish I could get over him...someday.

vVvVv

"Alexandria! Take a break, dear. It's time for dinner..."

I can hear Mom calling, but I'm so close to finishing this up. I have to because the damn deadline's tomorrow, and I really don't appreciate the idea of embarrassing my father at the board meeting in his office tomorrow morning. The presentation has to go smoothly.

_You know, you're putting a lot of pressure on yourself lately._

_You'd better shut up, conscience... I'm not done with my job yet._

_There _is _plenty of time after dinner._

_Don't give me that! It's another temptation._

Ugh...my stomach's growling. It's at this moment that the door to my new room opens with a bang, and Alex—my seventeen-year old little sister—is at my door with her arms folded across her chest, giving me another—no doubt—stern look.

_She looks mad._

_Hey! I have the right as her older sister._

"You know sis, you've been pretty absorbed with that presentation lately, and I think you're forgetting that Mom's vocal chords are about to get ripped." She sounds kind of haughty.

"Gim'me five minutes..." I continue my typing.

"You'd better get downstairs or I'm getting the last pop tart."

"You're _not _serious!" I exclaim loudly, looking up from my job.

"Fine with me. Keep your ass glued to that chair, and I'm getting the last pop tart." She regards me with a very smug grin, and charges down the upstairs hall.

_Pop tart!_

"Oh no you don't!" I jump up from my chair, ignoring that I left my phone on the desk as I slam the door to my room and race downstairs. That pop tart is mine!

I find myself in the dining room in a blur. And my mischievous little sis is already rummaging through the refrigerator. My eyes get big, and I quickly dash to her side and we start wrestling over the pop tart box. I'm having the upper hand.

"Girls! You are young ladies, and you're acting like five-year old boys wrestling for a treat," Mom exclaimed, positively scandalized.

"It's worth it, Mom!" Alex screams in my ear as I manage to turn her face to the side with my outstretched palm.

"Good evening, Mrs. Clarion. Where's-?"

At the sound of that voice, my younger sister straightens almost instantly, and I could laugh as she smoothed out her blonde hair and rights her clothes that are now rumpled from our childish fight.

"Mom!" Alex wailed as I try very hard not to giggle. "You didn't tell me he'd be here!"

"It was a surprise, honey." Mom smiles and winks at me.

I smirk. "That should teach you to be poised all the time. You'll never know when your boy friend decides to pay you a visit on short notice." I chuckle, and Alex pouts quite cutely.

I glance over at the teenage boy grinning like he just caught a juicy secret. That's how _he _used to smile at me when he caught me doing something peculiar.

It's been four years since that chaotic ending. Four years since so many people I cared about had been lost, but so many beautiful things had been taught to me as a very valuable lesson. It was for me to love freely.

After his untimely death, I returned to Junon and am now living with my family. My Dad was happy to know that Shin-Ra was no more. It all remains a memory to me now. And I still can't forget him. In a short time that I even knew his name and the way he managed to work his way into my heart, I never forgot him since. He remained my only love, and even now as I enjoy a spectacular dinner with my family, I'm still thinking of him.

I know I'll never forget the feel of that silver hair beneath my fingertips, the beautiful blue-green color of his cat's eyes—how otherworldly they were, his pale complexion and smooth skin that, the invigorating touch of his hand, the feel of strong fingers filling the spaces between mine, the warmth he always emitted whenever he embraced me, the soft whispers he left in my ear, the way his breath sent beautiful shivers down my spine, the way he made me melt whenever he kissed me, and the soft and sincere expression in his eyes when he told me he loved me.

He might have been cruel and selfish, and even psychotic, and he wasn't even my dream guy. He wasn't the type I'd felt brave enough to bring home, just like Alex does with her boy friend, and he might have been a certified bad boy, but I know I'll never ever exchange it for any treasure in the world to make me forget. He is imprinted in my memory and he will never fade. He loved me and I loved him. It's all that matters.

I found what I needed. I fulfilled my self-set purpose. I found my family, uncovered my true identity, and I couldn't have done that without his big help. For now, I'd live up the remaining years of my life and just know deep down that somewhere in the Lifestream, he's waiting for me to come to him someday.

"_I'll always...be with you."_

**END**

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**A/N: There... It's done. I'm working on a new story that will hopefully get some reviews too... :) Thanks again. I really appreciate it. :D**


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